JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars held their third “Huddle up Jax” meeting on Wednesday evening.
It’s a meeting where the team invites community members and fans to ask questions about the Jaguars planned renovations for the stadium and the other developments.
The estimated cost is as high as $2 billion.
There were a lot of people sitting in on Wednesday’s meeting at the Jacksonville Golf & Country Club. They were asking questions like if TIAA Bank Field will look like the renderings they’re seeing or will the public have to really pay half the cost. There were so many questions, the meeting went longer than it was scheduled for.
Jaguars president Mark Lamping spoke to a packed house.
It was another chance for people in the community and fans to get a close-up look at the stadium renderings and see how areas around the stadium will be developed, like the proposed sports district development with a price tag between $550 and $668 million.
“I thought it was huge like I said transparency is important,” said Nicolas Harrington. “I think it’s good not just for like me but also for people who might not be as strong a fan or, because now I can go out in the community and I can say like point-for-point, ‘Hey this is how it benefits not just me the Jags fans but also builds up the downtown.”
During the third of the 14 planned meetings, Lamping explained how the new design for the stadium includes a roof that isn’t just aesthetically appealing but practical.
It provides shade, and will help the stadium attract more big-name events outside of football. Lamping said it will also help with Jags ticket sales during the month of September. That’s when he said the heat slows down ticket purchases by nearly 33%.
A hot topic at the meeting was the price of everything with the renovation proposal running between $1.75 and $2.068 billion.
“It is a big number,” Terry Royster said. “Feels like a big number, but I do look forward to the city’s possible return on investment when it comes to that through taxes, through what it’s going to generate for the city.”
And one fan was wondering if the new stadium will be more accepting of people of all backgrounds.
“My girlfriend goes with me to many of the games and she does actually have some disabilities and you know she’s a big football fan. I think we’re certainly very encouraged as it sounds like the Jaguars are trying to do everything they can to make sure those people who have disabilities still have access to the games,” one fan said.
And while some fans wanted to get their serious questions out, others like Joan Green were just happy to be in the room and share her excitement about what could come to life.
Another community meeting is scheduled for Thursday at Mellow Mushroom on Max Leggett Parkway starting at 5 p.m.