JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 100 fans and stakeholders showed up at a Springfield sports bar on Monday to listen and ask questions about the Jaguars proposal for a $1 billion renovation of TIAA Bank Field.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping was on hand at Strings Sports Brewery to present the proposal nearly a week after the team unveiled renderings for the “Stadium of the Future.”
Lamping told people on hand that the team needs buy-in from the community and worked to sell taxpayers on a partnership -- 50% from the Jaguars, 50% from taxpayers.
Some people were willing to support the president’s proposal, while others were opposed to the renovations being supported with the large support of taxpayers.
Lamping spoke about potentially having a satellite University of Florida campus near the stadium as well as ongoing projects at the Shipyards and a sports entertainment district at Lot J.
The price of the proposed project, which would be about $1.4 billion for the stadium and another $500 million for the entertainment district, has come under heavy scrutiny, especially when it comes to who will pay for it.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan even made a surprise appearance at the event.
“Jacksonville is on fire,” Khan said. “This thing is going to turbocharge it.”
Khan has a vested interest in the deal because he needs the city’s approval to move forward.
“I think we want the people involved. Obviously, our elected leaders are important, but I think understanding what the project is all about, we’ve got to get to the grassroots level,” Khan said.
One fan asked about how the stadium would handle cold days with the new translucent roof the team proposed.
“Well, it’s not gonna be heated for sure,” Lamping said. “Because, and I’m not trying to be funny with that, but this is a stadium has a fixed roof but it’s open air, fixed roof and I think the first time that was done in the National Football League was SoFi stadium because they don’t need a climate-controlled stadium in Southern California. If it’s cold, we may have to bundle up.”
Fans grilled the officials with a number of questions with a hot topic being where will the team spend the two seasons necessary for renovations to take place.
They were also concerned about how neighborhoods and businesses surrounding the stadium would be protected.
The meeting was the first of 14 meetings the team has set up to solicit community feedback.
Khan said the deal he is proposing makes sense for the city.
“We spent three years on this. We’ve talked through all the details, spent a lot of money, and the top global architects in the world really come up with the ideas and we’ve paid and put in a lot of time and energy and then came up with the best we think that the city needs,” Khan said.
The consensus on Monday, at least with those in attendance, seemed to be cautious optimism.
Here’s a complete list of all the 14 community conversation locations:
- Strings Sports Brewery (Monday, 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m.)
- Ramada by Wyndham Jacksonville (Tuesday, 5-6:30 p.m.)
- Jacksonville Golf & Country Club (Wednesday, 5-6:30)
- Hyatt Place on Duval Road (Thursday, 5-6:30)
- Argyle Branch Library (Friday, June 16, 11:30-1)
- Deerwood Country Club (Saturday, June 17, 11:30-1)
- Atlantic Beach Country Club (Saturday, June 17, 5-6:30)
- Community First Igloo (Monday, June 19, 11:30-1)
- Fairfield Inn and Suites on Chaffee Point Blvd. (Monday, June 19, 5-6:30)
- Grounds of Grace in Arlington (Tuesday, June 20, 11:30-1)
- Bradham and Brooks Library (Tuesday, June 20, 5-6:30)
- Casa Marina Hotel (Wednesday, June 21, 11:30-1)
- Charles Webb Westconnett Regional Library (Wednesday, June 21, 5-6:30)
- The Zoo (Wednesday, June 22, 11:30-1)