The city of Jacksonville has scheduled five public meetings to explain a long-awaited agreement with the Jacksonville Jaguars to renovate EverBank Stadium.
Details of the agreement have not been released, but the deal is supposed to be presented to City Council on Tuesday.
The first of five “community huddles” will take place the next day “so that citizens can learn more — and ask questions — about the proposed stadium deal,” according to a news release from the city.
This is the schedule of meetings:
- May 15: Mandarin High School, 4831 Greenland Road, Jacksonville, 6-7:30 p.m.
- May 16: Legends Center, 5130 Soutel Drive, Jacksonville, 6-7:30 p.m.
- May 20: Fletcher High School, 700 Seagate Ave., Neptune Beach, 6-7:30 p.m.
- May 29: Sandalwood High School, 2750 John Promenade Blvd., Jacksonville, 6-7:30 p.m.
- May 30: Westside High School, 5530 Firestone Road, Jacksonville, 6-7:30 p.m.
The meetings are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Mayor Donna Deegan, Jaguars President Mark Lamping and Mike Weinstein, the city’s lead negotiator, will be present at each meeting.
The Jaguars also held community huddles after announcing their stadium plans last year. The original proposal envisioned a $1.4 billion renovation with the city picking up half the cost.
Initial plans included a large shady canopy to reduce temperatures in the stadium, one of fans’ leading complaints. Plans also provided for larger concourses, lookout decks offering citywide views, more elevators and escalators, and expanded food and beverage sales.
City Council President Ron Salem revealed Wednesday that the city and Jaguars had reached an agreement after months of negotiations. The city confirmed the information but provided no details.
Randy comes to Jacksonville from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, where as metro editor, he led investigative coverage of the Parkland school shooting that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for public service. He has spent more than 40 years in reporting and editing positions in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Florida.