Billionaire Khan Wants $3M in Tax $$$ for Jaguars

[thelakelander]

Should there be a moratorium of sorts on tax spending on stadiums?

Why? This looks pretty nice. I can see an economic benefit going far beyond sporting events.

The city and Jacksonville Jaguars are proposing $90 million in upgrades to EverBank Field, investments that would replace the facility's club seating while building an indoor practice facility and amphitheater.

Under the latest round of improvements, the city and team would split the cost evenly at $45 million each.

"It really is a cool project," said Sam Mousa, Mayor Lenny Curry's chief administrative officer.

more renderings here: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546450

[edjax]

Should there be a moratorium of sorts on tax spending on stadiums?

No

[Tacachale]

Wow, that does look like a cool project. The price tag seems like a reasonable split for what it involves.

[copperfiend]

Khan certainly live by "go big or go home".

This looks like a cool project. And the good thing is it is not football specific. That amphitheater is an interesting addition.

[Tacachale]

I love that the headline is "Billionaire Khan Wants $3M in Tax $$$ for Jaguars" but it turns out the real story is that Khan and the city have announced a massive new project.

Better luck next time, guys.

[hiddentrack]

Amphitheater???  Is this new news?

I don't remember hearing about an amphitheater as part of this until the last week or so.

From the renderings, it's the only thing that feels a little out of place to me, like it was designed separately and just shoved in between the practice facility and the stadium.

[thelakelander]

Should there be a moratorium of sorts on tax spending on stadiums?

No

Yes, I think so.  Not just locally, but nationally.

Its a private club of billionaires who draw the majority of their profit off of this sport from tax subsidies.

Are you confusing "stadiums" with the National Football League? There's stadiums of various sizes (many publicly owned) in hundreds of cities all across the state.

[thelakelander]

From the renderings, it's the only thing that feels a little out of place to me, like it was designed separately and just shoved in between the practice facility and the stadium.

I like it. A small step in making the sports district more walkable in the long run.

[finehoe]

Everbank Field:

The city and Jacksonville Jaguars are proposing $90 million in upgrades to EverBank Field, investments that would replace the facility's club seating while building an indoor practice facility and amphitheater.

Shipyards:

featuring multilevel indoor practice fields where the Jaguars would practice, an amphitheater and a public park.

How many indoor practice facilities and amphitheaters do we need?

[thelakelander]

Should there be a moratorium of sorts on tax spending on stadiums?

No

Yes, I think so.  Not just locally, but nationally.

Its a private club of billionaires who draw the majority of their profit off of this sport from tax subsidies.

Are you confusing "stadiums" with the National Football League? There's stadiums of various sizes (many publicly owned) in hundreds of cities all across the state.

Don't forget the ones in Europe, Asia, and Africa while your at it.  Or the giant stadiums in South America.

Is this a real question?  Or do you think something is being discussed other than  the ones used by Major Sports Franchises?

It was a real question.

[thelakelander]

Everbank Field:

The city and Jacksonville Jaguars are proposing $90 million in upgrades to EverBank Field, investments that would replace the facility's club seating while building an indoor practice facility and amphitheater.

Shipyards:

featuring multilevel indoor practice fields where the Jaguars would practice, an amphitheater and a public park.

How many indoor practice facilities and amphitheaters do we need?

Sounds like it's being moved from the shipyards proposal to the surface lots next to the stadium. They have a need they want addressed now, instead of 10 to 20 years down the road, which is Jax's traditional timeline for moving forward on things. Good move, IMO.

[Tacachale]

Everbank Field:

The city and Jacksonville Jaguars are proposing $90 million in upgrades to EverBank Field, investments that would replace the facility's club seating while building an indoor practice facility and amphitheater.

Shipyards:

featuring multilevel indoor practice fields where the Jaguars would practice, an amphitheater and a public park.

How many indoor practice facilities and amphitheaters do we need?

Sounds like it's being moved from the shipyards proposal to the surface lots next to the stadium. They have a need they want addressed now, instead of 10 to 20 years down the road, which is Jax's traditional timeline for moving forward on things. Good move, IMO.

Yes, that's what I assumed. I can't imagine they'd pursue both this practice field proposal and the one on the River, let alone that the city would ever go for it.

Now that I think of it, I remember hearing that Sam Mousa wasn't happy with the Brown-Khan Shipyards deal for several reasons, and that was one of them. Now I guess we're seeing a deal that he does like.

[thelakelander]

Well I assume that the context of Arash's original question, and the spirit in which my own response was given, would only include the stadiums primarily used by private major sports franchises.  The ones getting the most national attention happen to be Football stadium, but I would assume that there is something similar, on a smaller scale going on with the other sports.

I was just asking because the largest stadium applying for funding mentioned in the article Arash cut and pasted is a racing track.

[hiddentrack]

Does anyone know if the city owns the current fairgrounds property? I just had this thought...

Now that the Jaguars no longer have a need for the area between Hogans Creek and Metropolitan Park (the site for the previous practice facility that was proposed), what if the city takes everything from Hogans Creek east to the present-day amphitheater, makes some adjustments, and turns it into Metropolitan Park and Fairgrounds. This would provide extra space that could be used for the fair, but also be a flexible space that could still be used for any concerts/festivals that exceed the capacity of the new amphitheater built next to the stadium. It would also meant that, at least once a year, we'd get that riverfront Ferris wheel everyone seems to want.

Once that's moved, if the city owns the current fairgrounds property, they can turn around sell it. Maybe Mark Frisch would like it so he can build a new home for the Armada?

[copperfiend]

Amphitheater???  Is this new news?

I don't remember hearing about an amphitheater as part of this until the last week or so.

From the renderings, it's the only thing that feels a little out of place to me, like it was designed separately and just shoved in between the practice facility and the stadium.

Maybe to entice the city, they added it as a non-football potential revenue generator