The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp announced a $31.8 million publicly funded renovation plan Feb. 28 for 121 Financial Ballpark, the home of the minor league baseball team.
Called Project Next, the plan includes a larger videoboard, enhanced club space behind home plate, a new multilevel building in right field and a front porch and center field plaza to welcome fans.
Ken Babby, team owner and CEO, said Project Next is being fully funded by the city of Jacksonville, the ballpark owner. The team lease runs through March 2043.
It will be completed in phases by the opening of the 2025 season, Babby said at a news conference at the ballpark.
The ballpark is at 301 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. in the Downtown Sports and Entertainment District. ASM Global manages the facility.
Plans for the right field building include making the Jumbo Shrimp VyStar Credit Union Souvenir Store accessible on the street level, and on the concourse level, a banquet and meeting space.
“This is a generational moment for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, our city, fans and community partners,” Babby said.
Mayor Donna Deegan said renovations to the ballpark will be transformational.
“These updates will reestablish this facility as one of the very best in the nation. They will also pave the way for all of the development on the horizon in and around the city’s Sports and Entertainment District.”
According to a Feb. 28 news release, fans for the 2024 season, which begins March 29, will experience the beginning phases of Project Next.
In addition to a new videoboard nearly 20% larger, there will be new ribbon videoboards and ceiling fans in the concourse to increase air circulation.
Baltimore-based Canopy Team and founder and Executive Chair Janet Marie Smith is the project designer. Smith’s work includes renovations of Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore and in Fenway Park in Boston, the news release said. Project Next is the first major renovation to 121 Financial Ballpark since its opening in 2003, the news release said.
Babby bought the minor league baseball team, then known as the Jacksonville Suns, in 2015.
In 2020, 121 Financial Credit Union became the naming rights sponsor of the Jumbo Shrimp’s ballpark.
VyStar Credit Union and 121 Financial are merging next month, but the stadium name won’t change right away.
Brian Wolfburg, Vystar president and CEO, said the ballpark name will remain the same for the Jumbo Shrimp’s 2024 season.
“121 Financial becomes a part of VyStar as of March 1. But they don’t fully convert until later this summer. And so through the 2024 season, they’re going to remain with the 121 Financial name, and we’re working on what the new updated name will be,” he said in an interview at the ballpark after the news conference.
