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Jacksonville, Florida – The city’s first round of nearly $2 billion in funding to renovate Everbank Stadium was announced Friday. According to court documents filed by the Jacksonville City Council.
The City Council introduced a bill that would set aside $10 million for major renovations. This is already approved funding, coming out of the $20 million already passed in the capital improvement plan.
The renovations are estimated to cost $1.4 billion, with half coming from the city and the other half from taxpayers.
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According to the bill, the funding would cover $10 million in engineering and design costs for major renovations to the Stadium of the Future.
Pushjade Kanwar visited St. Mark’s Square on Friday night and said he was in favor of the move.
“If we can provide more jobs for people, that’s a good idea,” Kanwar said.
Some people support it, but others, like Joseph Bartner, who was visiting from New York, oppose paying for the stadium with taxes.
“They need to pay the players less, and the owners need to take responsibility and stop collecting taxes,” Bartner said.
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When News4JAX inquired about this bill, we received the following statement:
“The $10 million outlined in bill #2024-0170 comes from a $20 million line item already passed in the FY24-28 Capital Improvement Plan for the stadium project. This funding covers services provided by Gilbane, an engineering firm hired through a competitive RFP process to complete the design process initiated by the Jaguars and perform structural and structural analysis for the renovation. .”
Phil Perry, City of Jacksonville
Kanwar accepted the price tag because he felt the stadium needed renovations.
“I’m not saying we don’t need improvements because there are better stadiums than that one, but as long as it provides jobs and people actually think we need $10 million to do it, it’s a problem. No,” Kanwar said. .
But Bartner feels the Jaguars need to pay for the upgrade in full.
“I’m not a local. I know how it’s taken advantage of, and I think it’s ridiculous…enough that people have to pay high prices for tickets. “It’s bad. I think it’s terrible,” he said.
Current construction plans call for the stadium to be renovated during the 2026-2027 season, with the Jags returning home in 2028.
Negotiations between the team and the city of Jacksonville are still ongoing and may not be finalized until this summer.
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