Just days after the Jacksonville Jaguars gave Trevor Lawrence a record-tying contract extension that pays him $55 million per year, the team has also announced it will remain in Jacksonville for years to come.
Jaguars and Trevor Lawrence Agree to Record Contract Extension
The Jaguars announced on their Twitter/X page that the Jacksonville City Council has officially approved renovations for EnerBank Stadium, which is being coined as the “stadium of the future.”
According to the team’s official statement, “On this day, June 15, 2024, the Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville have reached an agreement on a groundbreaking stadium of the future deal. This state-of-the-art facility is set to transform downtown and its surrounding areas, marking a significant milestone in the city’s development.”
This new $1.4 billion deal will lead to a complete revamp of the 29-year-old facility. The City Council approved the renovations with a 14-1 vote, with two abstentions. According to Hanna Holthaus of the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville will pay “$775 million in stadium renovations and $56 million in an amended community benefits agreement.”
According to the roadmap for the stadium renovations, the Jaguars will still host games at EverBank Stadium for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In the 2026 season, the stadium will only permit a reduced capacity of 43,500 attendees. In the 2027 season, the Jaguars will host games in another location. In 2028, the team’s new “stadium of the future” will officially debut.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan remarked on the agreement, stating in a team press release, “The belief and determination of Delores and Wayne Weaver to make the Jacksonville Jaguars a reality more than 30 years ago was reaffirmed today by the leadership of Mayor Donna Deegan, her team, and the Jacksonville City Council. The message then, and now, should be clear: Never doubt Jacksonville!”
The above Twitter/X post also showcases concept images for what the stadium will look like inside and out. It does look to be quite glamorous.
Though the Jaguars consistently struggle for relevancy — 10 winning records and eight playoff victories in 29 seasons — the arrival of Lawrence has sparked a determination and excitement the franchise has not seen in a long time. After he was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2021 Draft, Lawrence led the team to a playoff berth in 2022.
The hope is the team can continue its climb and challenge other AFC teams for a chance to compete for a Super Bowl, which has not happened yet for this franchise. With these new stadium renovations and Lawrence also being locked down for the foreseeable future, there is plenty to be excited about regarding the Jaguars team.
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