The Jacksonville City Council took a step toward renovating EverBank Stadium on March 26, agreeing to spend $10 million on preconstruction design and engineering services for the proposed upgrade.
The city and the Jacksonville Jaguars are negotiating a deal to transform EverBank into the team’s “Stadium of the Future,” projected to cost $1.4 billion.
Council voted 18-0 in favor of Ordinance 20204-0170, which contained the funding appropriation. Council member Terrance Freeman was not present for the vote.
The vote came two weeks after Mike Weinstein, the lead negotiator for Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration, told Council members the two sides were working toward presenting a tentative agreement by early May.
When the Jaguars unveiled plans for the stadium in mid-2023, they requested that the city pay for both the renovations and a surrounding dining and entertainment district. City officials say the district is no longer part of the negotiations.
Deegan says she plans to hold public meetings to gather community input on the tentative stadium deal when it is negotiated.
The team’s conceptual design for the stadium includes a fixed roof membrane that protects seating areas from sun and rain, a mirrored surface and a wraparound concourse with views of the St. Johns River and Downtown skyline.