The Jacksonville City Council has approved a $1.4 billion renovation for EverBank Stadium, the home of the Jaguars, in a decisive vote on Tuesday evening.
The measure passed 14-1 with two abstentions. The final step is to gain approval from at least 24 of the 32 NFL team owners at the upcoming league meetings in October.
“This is a monumental day for our city,” Jacksonville mayor Donna Deegan stated. “As I expressed to the council, this is what we can achieve when we all work together towards a common goal.”
Under the agreement, known as the “Stadium of the Future” by the Jaguars, Jacksonville is committing $775 million to the project – $625 million for the renovation itself and $150 million over the next two years for maintenance to prepare the stadium for construction. The Jaguars will also contribute $625 million, with team owner Shad Khan being responsible for any additional costs.
Significantly, the deal also includes a 30-year lease for the Jaguars to remain in Jacksonville once the stadium re-opens. The Jaguars would be limited to playing one home game per year in London, as they have done for several years; all other home games would be held at EverBank Stadium.
Construction is set to start after the conclusion of the 2025 season and be completed before the start of the 2028 season. The Jaguars’ plan involves reduced capacity during the 2026 season, with the upper deck unavailable, before relocating to a temporary home for the 2027 season.
The University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville and Camping World Stadium in Orlando are the two potential venues for the Jaguars in 2027.
The renovation itself mirrors the layout of the SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, with a canopy overhead every seat to regulate temperatures. The capacity would be 63,000 for Jaguars games and could be expanded to over 70,000 for events such as the annual Florida-Georgia football game and the Gator Bowl.
EverBank Stadium previously hosted Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005 but has not hosted a Super Bowl since.
–Field Level Media
