JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The $94 million of taxpayer money that was removed from the Community Benefits Agreement portion of the proposed Jaguars stadium lease agreement.
City Council voted to push discussion about that money to July in order to further debate how that money will be allocated.
Even though $94 million was removed from the CBA, both Eastside business owners who are trying to create development in their neighborhood and city council members are optimistic that the money will eventually be approved and benefit the neighborhood that is a neighbor to the stadium.
Ultimately, incoming Council President Randy White's amendment to removed $94 million of taxpayer funding from the Community Benefits Agreement was passed, but the future Council President said he wants that money debated during the July city budget review process. White assumes the position July 1.
"This was not anything against the Eastside," said White. "I think we need to do upgrades there and I will support that."
Current Council President Ron Salem voted in favor of removing the $94 million from the CBA because he wants to see Mayor Donna Deegan's budget in July as well as future budget projections to make sure that the city has enough money to fund the programs that were proposed in the portion of the CBA that was removed.
"Hopefully we can fund as much of this as we can," said Salem, "as I said my priority, personally, is towards OutEast, I'd like to really see us try to elevate that community."
Thursday was a work day for Dana Miller of The Man Cave Barbershop on A. Philip Randolph Boulevard, which is located just blocks away from the stadium. Miller is hopeful that council eventually approves the portion of the CBA that they removed.
"We do feel optimistic about going forward because they could have cancelled everything but they didn't," said Miller, "we're still here in the fight."
For Miller, funding from the CBA would not only elevate businesses in his neighborhood, it would help the people who live in his neighborhood to flourish and remain in their homes.
"What we're doing is stopping gentrification in our neighborhood," said Miller, "and you have to fight because it's been going on for years and we're in a position that we can save our neighborhood and we're going to save our neighborhood."
The Jaguars are still contributing more than $100 million towards the Community Benefits Agreement, but team President Mark Lamping said the team will give the money to the city and have no direct involvement on where the money goes after that.
"We would hope those dollars would go towards programs that are important to us," Lamping said. "Downtown development, supporting OutEast neighborhood and providing citywide benefits as it relates to parks and programming."
"We're not just fighting for OutEast, we're fighting for all the communities in Jacksonville and it has to start somewhere, we're just fortunate that it's starting OutEast because of the stadium," Miller said.
The city will still fund $56 million of parks improvements through the portion of the Community Benefits Agreement that was passed.
City Council's final vote on the Stadium of the Future is scheduled for Tuesday.