JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Drivers, start your … season?
The Jaguars are exploring all the options for a temporary location should their “Stadium of the Future” bump them out of Jacksonville for an extended period of time. And one of those locations is where the Super Bowl of racing is held each February.
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According to two reports, the Jaguars will meet with Daytona International Speedway in the coming weeks to kick around the idea of holding games there. Sure, it would be “wonky,” as team president Mark Lamping told the publication, VenuesNow, but it’s likely an easier Sunday commute for Jaguars fans than either Gainesville’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium or Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
The Jaguars’ conceptual plans for their “Stadium of the Future” were released on Wednesday, and with it, the avalanche of questions on a project that could top $2 billion.
Will the team stay in Jacksonville during a renovation?
Is the team going to move?
How much will taxpayers be on the hook for?
The team’s preferred choice is to start renovations after the 2025 season, which takes 30 months. That would push the Jaguars into a new venue for the 2026-27 seasons. So, where would they play for those two seasons? Team President Mark Lamping said that would be a good problem to have since it would mean a stadium upgrade had been approved. But there is significant interest in where the team would play during a renovation.
While conversations between the Jaguars and the city won’t gain traction until Mayor-elect Donna Deegan takes office July 1, Daytona International Speedway is one interesting venue for the team, should it be forced to play elsewhere during construction.
No word on if teams would have timeouts or pit stops if the Jaguars designated Daytona International as their home for two seasons during construction. Maybe a checkered flag instead of a Lombardi trophy? A caution flag instead of a penalty flag?
According to a report from VenuesNow, Jaguars team President Mark Lamping said that the team plans to have conversations with the Speedway in the coming weeks.
“It would be an interesting solution but would also require significant investment in terms of infrastructure,” Lamping told VenuesNow. “It can accommodate a big crowd. It would be a little wonky, but it’s worth considering. After the (Daytona Rising) renovations, it’s nice.”
When News4JAX reached out to the Speedway last month, it said that it had not had any conversations with the Jaguars about the possibility of games being held there. But Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher told NBC Sports on Saturday that the venue would speak to the Jaguars about the topic.
“Daytona International Speedway is a world-renowned sports and entertainment venue and hosts a full schedule of events each year,” Kelleher said. “As good neighbors in the Florida sports community, DIS will be speaking with the Jacksonville Jaguars to see if we can assist them with their potential upcoming facility needs around our scheduled events.”
The Speedway underwent a massive renovation with its Daytona Rising project. That project doubled the restrooms, tripled concession stands and added luxury suites.
Temporary facility aside, the biggest discussions are about the financial costs of a revamped facility.
Under a May 11 document, the taxpayers and city would be responsible for between $800 million and $934 million (67%) of the stadium costs. The city would pay just 14% of the sports development district ($75 to $100 million). The Jaguars and owner Shad Khan’s Iguana Investments would handle the remaining costs of each.
A UNF poll last spring said that 61% of those surveyed “oppose the expenditure, either strongly or somewhat.” The number used in that poll was $750 million.
To get the community behind the project, Lamping will hold a series of 14 community conversations about the team’s stadium proposal and answer questions, starting Monday at Strings Sports Brewery (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.).