The Jacksonville Jaguars revealed on Wednesday their visionary plans for what they are calling the “Stadium of the Future,” a project that has been in development for almost three years. The groundbreaking design of a new stadium district aims to revitalize downtown Jacksonville and spark excitement among residents and football fans alike. When completed, it’s set to have a significant impact on the entire region.
Located just a short drive from Savannah, Jacksonville serves as the closest major professional sports market to Southeast Georgia, and is a frequent destination for Savannahians for sports, cultural and leisure events offered in the larger city.
Here are design highlights released by officials on Wednesday:
Drawing inspiration from Jacksonville’s lush landscapes--a network of biking and walking trails, parklands, greenways, beaches and marshes—the striking design captures the essence of Florida. Fans will enter through a subtropical Floridian park, leading them to the main concourse. The concourse is elevated 30 feet above the ground, offering expansive views for Downtown Jacksonville and the St. Johns River.
The 360-degree concourse, four times wider than before, will feature interactive social bars and a variety of unique experiences alongside culinary delights native to Jacksonville. Every fan will discover something unique during each visit to the venue, which offers a wide range of premium offerings and communal spaces.
The seating bowl flexibility provides for a base capacity of 62,000 with expansion capabilities up to 71,500 for a college football game and more for a concert. The venue can transform its appearance through lighting and digital technology that will create distinctive game-day experiences while ensuring that fans stay connected.
The stadium is designed with sustainability in mind. With a first-of-its-kind mirrored material, the energy-efficient facade reflects Jacksonville’s waterfront, vegetation and distinct spirit. The open-air venue features a large shade canopy that reduces heat retention by more than 70 percent, lowers temperatures 10 to 15 degrees and protect fans from the weather. The façade is raised at the northern and southern ends to optimize airflow, enabling passive cooling throughout the stadium.
The stadium will feature lookout decks that offer citywide views. A fritted roof membrane introduces dispersed ambient light throughout the stadium interior.
The new stadium design addresses key fan requests, including a 185-percent increase in main concourse surface area, a 260-percent increase in upper concourse surface area, 360-degree connectivity in the upper concourse, 13 new elevators and 32 new escalators to support vertical movement, 220 new food and beverage points of sale and 14 new restrooms.
Construction will generate thousands of jobs and, once complete, the stadium will become a source of immense civic pride and a coveted destination for residents and visitors alike to Jacksonville, which was rated by Lending Tree earlier this year as No. 5 among America’s Biggest Boomtowns – and No. 1 among NFL markets.
Owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shad Khan, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “Our objective has always been the same - to secure a promising future for the Jaguars and help our downtown become an economic engine to lift all of Jacksonville, particularly underserved areas.” The unveiling of the stadium’s video and design highlights marks a significant step forward in this endeavor.
The collaboration between the Jaguars and City of Jacksonville officials commenced in July 2020, with a focus on finding a long-term stadium solution. Extensive engineering assessments were conducted, leading to the conclusion that renovating the existing stadium, TIAA Bank Field, was a viable option. This decision was welcomed as it ensured a seamless transition for future events.
The video presentation featured images from the annual Georgia-Florida game, played in Jacksonville since the early 1930s. Officials from both universities are watching the stadium design announcement and timeline closely to determine the value of holding the game in Jacksonville as the future unfolds.
The new stadium will aim to attract international sporting events, major music festivals, and tours. This means that Savannah residents may have the opportunity to witness some of these world-class events just a short distance away.
