JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With the EverBank Stadium officially headed for a multi-million dollar “Stadium of the Future” redesign, News4JAX took a look at what’s to come for the neighboring areas.
The stadium was built more than 30 years ago and has undergone its share of transformations.
Construction on what was known as the Gator Bowl started in 1994 to turn it into the home of the Jaguars stadium we know today.
Jacksonville City Council approved the stadium deal on Tuesday, which includes a 30-year lease to keep the Jags in the city and renovation funds.
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Like previous stadium deals, similar agreements were made concerning promises about developing the surrounding neighborhoods like Jacksonville’s eastside.
Duval County Schools board member Warren Jones served on the city council in 1994.
“We were hoping, like we do in most projects, that it would have a positive impact on this side of town,” Jones said.
Jones said that impact wasn’t met to the same degree that the community expected.
“Yeah, should have done more,” Jones said. “I wish we had considered a community benefits package at that time. I mean, that wasn’t something. It was not part of the discussion.”
Council voted to remove the Community Benefits Agreement from the stadium deal so they could consider it as a separate vote in July.
Russ Smith, owner of Russ Doe’s Sandwich Shop, has witnessed the various changes around the stadium and was optimistic about what will come.
“That didn’t happen as fast as they said they were, but it’s happening now. To see the development of Brooklyn, and I opened down Bay Street with a new development.”
The Four Seasons hotel is taking shape and the downtown parks along the river are also a focus.
“When you have games here, people are going to come this way. And the economic opportunities when people come with way,” Jones said.
Changes to the community could start to happen if the city council approves the benefit deal this summer that the Jaguars have promised to support.