Jaguars' Stadium Deal to Have Big Impact on Historic SEC Rivalry

How will the Jacksonville Jaguars' stadium plans impact the Florida-Georgia game?

Fans take in the opening kickoff of the annual Florida vs Georgia football game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL from the top rows of the stands Saturday, October 27, 2023. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

In the wake of the Jacksonville Jaguars getting their Stadium of the Future deal approved by a unanimous vote of 32 NFL owners this week, there is now the question to be asked about one of the most important games played in Jacksonville annually.

Jacksonville has hosted the Florida-Georgia rivalry game for decades, which means any updates on the Jaguars' stadium deal and future construction involves the two SEC blue bloods as well.

“As you know, one of the things we did up front is we talked to important stakeholders very early on in design process. We had multiple meetings with the athletic directors both at the University of Georgia and University of Florida because we wanted to make sure that this stadium served their needs," Jaguars President Mark Lamping said on Tuesday following the vote.

"To ensure that with this great annual tradition of the Florida-Georgia game stays in Jacksonville and I think this development puts us in a position to be much stronger in our confidence that those universities will choose to stay in Jacksonville because economically it is significantly better for them under the new stadium than the old stadium.”

The rivalry game has been played in Jacksonville every year since 1933 outside of a two-year period from 1994-95. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart suggested moving the game back in 2022 for recruiting reasons, but no such change has occurred. The city has an agreement to host the game through 2025; an agreement that was extended for two years in May 2023.

"It's very important. Recruiting is very important. ... I just can't get a Florida coach to agree with me about [moving the game]," Smart said. 

"I'm competing against [coaches] all across the SEC who host recruits at their biggest games," Smart said. "When Auburn plays at Alabama, guess where the recruits are? When LSU and Alabama play, that's where the biggest recruits want to go. It's an opportunity for us to bring these kids, who fly in from all over the country -- what game do they want to come see Georgia play? They'd like to see Georgia play Florida, but they can't do that."

While the status of the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is to be determined, the Jaguars know the stadium approval will surely bring plenty of eyes and entertainment to Downtown Jacksonville regardless.

"I think there's a couple of things that I think most people agree on, Downtown Jacksonville needs an entertainment district. That hasn't changed over the course of the past five years and really the only thing that has changed is it's probably going to be more expensive to do it than it was four or five years ago. It needs to happen," Lamping said.

"We seem to think that the sports complex might be the best location for it. But those things need to happen in the right time. I can tell you, at least from my perspective, our plate is pretty full right now. We have to do all of these projects right and the focus right now is on completing the shipyards and the Four Seasons. But I have no doubt that downtown Jacksonville will have a sports entertainment complex. It's just a question of when, not if.” 

The stadium project is estimated to cost $1.4 billion. The proposed deal includes a 30-year lease agreement with a Non-Relocation Agreement. Both the Jaguars and the City of Jacksonville will contribute $625 million to construction costs, with the Jaguars taking on any overrun costs.

The estimated timeline for construction is as follows.

• Construction begins: Feburary 2025. Jaguars would play 2025 season in Jacksonville with a capacity of 60,000+,

• Jaguars reduce capacity: For the 2026 season, the Jaguars would play the season in Jacksonville with a reduced capacity of 43,500.

• Jaguars play away from Jacksonville: For the 2027 season, the Jaguars would play their home schedule outside of Jacksonville for the first time in franchise history.

• Facility opens: August 2028.

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