The proposed $1.4 billion in improvements to the Jacksonville Jaguars' EverBank Stadium brings with it the potential for millions in improvements to nearby neighborhoods, but officials have stalled on approving the deal between the city and the team.
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The proposed $1.4 billion in improvements to the Jacksonville Jaguars' EverBank Stadium brings with it the potential for millions in improvements to nearby neighborhoods, but officials have stalled on approving the deal between the city and the team.
According to News 4, the new lease agreement with the Jags that the city council could approve next week was supposed to have $300 million in it for improvements to the Eastside and riverfront parks. That money is known as the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA).
The city council voted to push discussion about that money to July in order to further debate how that money will be allocated.
Even though $94 million was removed from the CBA, both Eastside business owners who are trying to create development in their neighborhood and city council members are optimistic that the money will eventually be approved and benefit the neighborhood.
Incoming council president Randy White's amendment to remove $94 million of taxpayer funding from the CBA was passed, but the White said he wants that money debated during the July city budget review process. White assumes the position July 1.
"This was not anything against the Eastside," said White. "I think we need to do upgrades there and I will support that."
According to News 5, current council president Ron Salem voted in favor of removing the $94 million from the CBA because he wants to see Mayor Donna Deegan's budget in July, as well as future budget projections to make sure that the city has enough money to fund the programs that were proposed in the portion of the CBA that was removed.
"Hopefully we can fund as much of this as we can," said Salem, "as I said, my priority, personally, is towards OutEast, I'd like to really see us try to elevate that community."
The Jaguars are contributing $100 million towards the CBA, but he said the team will not have any say in how the money is allocated.
"We would hope those dollars would go towards programs that are important to us," team president Mark Lamping said. "Downtown development, supporting OutEast neighborhood and providing citywide benefits as it relates to parks and programming."
The city will still fund $56 million of parks improvements through the portion of the Community Benefits Agreement that was passed.
The CBA is currently slated to be distributed as follows:
- $50 million to countywide workforce development and affordable housing and homeless initiatives
- $30 million to Eastside economic development, affordable housing and mitigation of homelessness
- $14 million spread among council districts
- $8.76 million to the Flex Field in the sports complex
- $10.04 million to Riverfront Plaza on the old Jacksonville Landing site
- $24.7 million to Shipyards West Park on the downtown riverfront
- $12.5 million to Metropolitan Park
