JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Sources close to the stadium renovation deal negotiations tell Action News Jax’s Ben Becker that the City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Jaguars had their first meeting Wednesday at the Jags’ offices at EverBank Stadium.
Jags’ reps will be involved, meeting cadence, etc. will be discussed/decided at that meeting, Becker was told.
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The City is expected to be represented by Interim CFO Mike Weinstein plus the lead negotiator from Sidley Austin law firm and John Sawyer, the OGC’s assigned attorney for the stadium negotiation.
Action News Jax told you in August when the city selected Sidley Austin to represent the City in the negotiations.
“We had some great companies that we interviewed and they just stood head and shoulders really above everybody else in terms of their ability to negotiate with the NFL and we felt really good about them,” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan told Action News Jax’s Jake Stofan in August. “And I think that at this point I feel good about getting started with the negotiations in earnest.”
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The Jaguars have asked the City to contribute more than $1 billion for the renovation of the stadium and construction of a new entertainment district.
Based on Jaguars’ proposed timeline, early construction would begin in February 2025.
The new facility would be ready to be opened in August of 2028.
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