NFL Owners Approve Jacksonville’s $1.4 Billion “Stadium of the Future”

ATLANTA – The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting a new home, and it’s going to be a “stadium of the future.” NFL owners unanimously approved the team’s $1.4 billion stadium project on Tuesday, a decision that secures the Jaguars’ future in Jacksonville for at least another 30 years.

With the Jags currently playing in London for the second of two consecutive games, the approval by NFL owners effectively ends decades of speculation about the franchise potentially relocating.

The project required 24 out of 32 owners to approve, and it was considered a near certainty, so much so that Jaguars owner Shad Khan and team president Mark Lamping were able to skip the league’s fall meetings in Atlanta.

The $1.4 billion price tag will be split 55% to 45% between the city of Jacksonville and the Jaguars. Jacksonville, which won’t levy any new taxes to fund their portion, will contribute $625 million towards the build and another $150 million for deferred maintenance of EverBank Stadium.

While the financial split is higher than most NFL owners contribute to new or renovated stadiums, the Jaguars did not anticipate any pushback from owners.

Construction is set to begin after the 2025 season, with the Jags playing in a reduced capacity stadium with no upper deck in 2026. In 2027, the team will host home games in Gainesville or Orlando while the new stadium is completed. The Jaguars will also have the opportunity to play multiple home games overseas in London and potentially Ireland during this period.

The renovation agreement with the city allows the Jaguars to play up to six home games internationally between 2025 and 2027, with a maximum of three in each of the first two years and potentially three more in 2027.

This will also have an impact on the annual Florida-Georgia game and the Gator Bowl, as both events have bid out their rivalry games for consecutive years, with potential locations including Atlanta in 2026 and Miami, Orlando, or Tampa in 2027. The Gator Bowl is aiming to play in Jacksonville in 2026 and potentially Gainesville in 2027.

The stadium plan includes a 30-year lease, a non-relocation agreement, and a provision limiting the number of games the Jaguars can play outside of Jacksonville. Under the new lease, the Jaguars will play all preseason and postseason home games in Jacksonville and will continue to play one home game per year in London, likely at Wembley Stadium.

The Jaguars will take on all construction cost overruns, manage day-to-day stadium operations, and bear 80.4% of game-day expenses moving forward.

The new 63,000-seat, open-air stadium will feature a translucent covering, similar to “wearing shades in the sun,” according to Lamping, which is expected to lower outside temperatures by 15 degrees. Capacity can be expanded to 71,500 to accommodate events like the Florida-Georgia game, a College Football Playoff game, or the Final Four.

Key Takeaways:

• Jacksonville’s new $1.4 billion stadium, dubbed the “stadium of the future,” has been approved by NFL owners.
• The project will be financed through a public-private partnership with the city of Jacksonville.
• The Jaguars will play in a reduced-capacity stadium during construction, which is set to begin after the 2025 season.
• The new stadium will have a 30-year lease and will host all preseason and postseason home games.
• The stadium will feature a translucent covering to lower outside temperatures and will have the capacity to host major events like the Florida-Georgia game and the Final Four.