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Eastside Jacksonville leader pushes for inclusion of $300M community benefits agreement to make up for past promises

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars’ so-called “Stadium of the Future” should have a huge impact on the city and it’s expected it could change nearby neighborhoods.

Part of the $1.4 billion plan calls for $300 million to go to the community. The community benefits agreement was introduced to Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday night and could improve Eastside neighborhoods and city parks over 30 years.

RELATED: Latest draft of ‘Stadium of the Future’ deal says city could get money back if Jaguars move within 14 years of upgrades

But residents have heard this before when the Jaguars first came to town nearly 30 years ago.

When the city upgraded the Gator Bowl into what became Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for the team, not much changed in the surrounding neighborhood despite promises made back then.

Suzanne Pickett, who is part of Historic Eastside Jacksonville, has been instrumental in landing the community benefits agreement for her area and other parts of the city.

“There has been plan, after plan, after plan. There’s been a Super Bowl plan. There’s been a stadium plan. There has been an Out East or Eastside Revitalization plan. We want to stop being a city of just plans...we really want to put our money where our mouth is,” Pickett said. “This community benefits agreement is modeled after many major cities that we say we want to be like, so if we say we wanna do it then we should just do it and if we don’t wanna do it, then we should just stop saying that Jacksonville wants to be a great city.”

How the money will be used still needs to be determined.

Mayor Donna Deegan described the potential influence the money could have.

“What makes this an impact player is the fact that we get to see these programs immediately with real money. And then have the sustaining money come in over 30 years. That is what makes this a thing that really can create an impact for downtown and frankly for the entire city,” Deegan said.

News4JAX talked to several people on the Eastside on Wednesday, like Selina Lee, a homeowner involved in community programs. She, too, is watching what happens with the agreement and hopes the money, if approved, will help more than just one group.

“It could be a good thing and I don’t see any funding for the community as a bad thing. If it’s done appropriately and through the right channels and for the people who are most in need of it,” Lee said.

The plan, which takes up just 14 pages of the 300-page deal, will be discussed during a City Council workshop on Thursday.

MORE: ‘Total garbage’: Councilman not swayed by poll showing broad support for city, Jags community benefits stadium agreement

Councilman Rory Diamond has said on social media that the community benefits agreement is a nonstarter, and he believes the council will remove it.


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