JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially announced that it has selected a design consultant in its process of making TIAA Bank Field the “Stadium of the Future.”
HOK Architects, the firm behind the design of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, was picked by the Jags after 12 months of review, according to an update posted Thursday to the 1st Downtown Jacksonville website.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Khan’s Iguana Investments company launched the website 1st Downtown Jacksonville to keep community stakeholders informed about the progress of downtown development, including the Stadium of the Future process.
A full engineering assessment of the stadium showed the team it was possible to solve long-term stadium challenges via a renovation of the current stadium versus new construction.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
The next phase of the process included surveying fans and other stakeholders about what they wanted out of the Stadium of the Future. In July, a study showed Jaguars fans want stadium renovations. The results showed that 89 percent of people support the idea of a stadium renovation, with 81 percent of people saying having shade on all seats was important.
The Jaguars said it selected HOK out of “eight leading sports architecture firms.”
HOK’s initial design will “spur additional downtown revitalization efforts,’ the team said. The design will include features suggested by fans and stakeholders, including:
- Shade over all seats
- Improved airflow
- Wider concourses
- Rain protection
Construction timelines and estimates will be determined when the team has a “more definitive renovation plan.”
Mark Lamping, President of the Jacksonville Jaguars, released the following statement:
“While much work remains to be done, we are pleased to have completed one more step in what remains a long but manageable journey.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.