JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The last step in the process of bringing the Jacksonville Jaguars' 'Stadium of the Future' to life will start Tuesday.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the NFL Owners Meeting will take place in Atlanta. Jaguars Director of Business Communications Lyndsay Rossman told First Coast News that during the meeting, the NFL owners will vote on the proposed new stadium, as a 75% or higher favorable vote will lead towards starting construction on the $1.4 billion project.
Jacksonville City Council voted 14-1, with two councilmembers abstaining, to approve the Stadium of the Future deal during a June 25 meeting.
"By your vote, we have scored a touchdown," City Council President Ron Salem said during the meeting.
The one "nay" came from Councilman Mike Gay. Councilman Terrance Freeman and Councilman Kevin Carrico abstained from the vote due to conflicts of interest.
Councilman Ken Amaro told the council before the vote in June that they had a chance to become a "legacy city council," by making an impactful decision. He said city auditors supporting the deal convinced him to support it. Councilman Jimmy Peluso said there was "no way" he would vote no on the deal.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping said he's happy to have reached an agreement with the city to keep the Jags in Jacksonville for at least the next 30 years.
If the deal is approved by NFL team owners, the project cost for renovations is set to be split between the city and the Jaguars; the city would contribute $775 million towards it, while the team's owner, Shad Khan, would be responsible for the rest of the cost. Construction on the new stadium would be scheduled to start at the conclusion of the Jags' 2024 season.
Since the renovations were announced in June 2023, Mayor Donna Deegan's team negotiated with the Jaguars, eventually announcing a deal in May.
"This day has been a long time coming. I am truly grateful for the partnership with the Jaguars throughout the negotiation process, and to the City Council for passing this historic deal. Together, we are turning renderings into reality for the betterment of Jacksonville," Deegan said in a statement after the city council's vote in June.
The Jacksonville Jaguars released the following statement following the stadium deal's approval:
"We’re excited that the City Council has approved this historic agreement that will keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville for decades to come, enhance the fan experience for NFL and non-NFL events, and provide a springboard for downtown growth starting with the completion of world-class riverfront parks.
The other portions of the community benefits agreement represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve the quality of life for citizens across Jacksonville. We remain committed to working with the City Council to pass those pieces of the package when they return in July."
The stadium deal also includes a $94 million Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) portion, which was approved by city council on Sept. 10. It was removed from the deal due to several councilmembers and former council president Ron Salem wanting to see Deegan's budget to ensure the city had enough money to fund the proposal. The CBA will fund countywide initiatives like homelessness, workforce development and the city's Eastside.
From the CBA, the Eastside would receive $40 million over seven years. Over 15 years, $40 million would go towards countywide efforts. And the remaining amount of it would go towards each of the city's 14 city council districts, each receiving $1 million a piece.