JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Eastside community was disappointed to hear that money intended to be poured back into the area could potentially be off the table if the Community Benefits Agreement is removed from the stadium deal and turned to a vote.
The multi-million “Stadium of the Future” deal is supposed to have a huge impact on the city and nearby neighborhoods -- like Jacksonville’s eastside.
Part of the $1.4 billion plan to renovate the stadium, which would include $775 million from the city, calls for $300 million to go to the community.
The Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) that was introduced to Jacksonville City Council this week could improve Eastside neighborhoods and city parks over the next 30 years. A total of $150 million of that would come from the city and be immediately available, while $150 million would come from the Jaguars and be spread out over 30 years, under the current proposal.
President of the Eastside Legacy Business Council, Avery McKnight, who attended Tuesday’s meeting about the agreement, said he wasn’t optimistic about it.
“After 60 years again of divestment so when you divest in a community it lowers the value and makes the area look less attractive,” McKnight said. “We’ve been last, but we want to be first for a change.”
Jacksonville council members talked about wanting to remove the CAB from the stadium deal so they could vote on it separately.
Some members also wanted to spread money around the city and not just focus on the Eastside.
Dana Miller, owner of Man Cave Barbershop, called the change “disheartening.”
“If they knock this deal and turn a blind eye to it, they could be messing up generations of hope,” Miller said.
How the money would be used, if approved, still needs to be determined.
“You’re telling us that we’re not worthy to receive the money to help better our community,” Miller said.