by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The summer months will be very busy for the Jacksonville Jaguars — on and off the field.
While head coach Jack Del Rio and his staff evaluate players, other Jaguars officials will be busy coordinating with City officials on the projects outside the stadium.
Over the course of roughly seven weeks, the Coliseum will be imploded, renovations to Alltel Stadium will conclude and the site of the Coliseum will be prepped for parking in time for the first home preseason game Aug. 15 against the Miami Dolphins. Much of the success of everything coming together in a timely manner hinges on the Jaguars and the City agreeing on exactly how the parking plans will be handled.
“We are definitely coordinating with the Jaguars on parking for the upcoming season,” said Lisa Rowe, Better Jacksonville Plan spokesperson.
Once the Coliseum is gone, the City and the Jaguars will work quickly to renovate the area for parking. However, the work done this summer will be temporary. Plans are to renovate the current Veterans Memorial Wall just east of the Coliseum into the Veterans Memorial Wall park, complete with benches and landscaping.
(There was, at one time, talk of moving the wall to the site of the new arena, but local veterans protested, saying the wall could easily be irreparably damaged in the move.)
“Construction of the new Veterans Park will begin after football season,” said Rowe. “We are also coordinating with the Jaguars on other improvements.”
The Jaguars regular season ends Dec. 28 with a road game in Atlanta, meaning work on the park could begin even earlier. However, a playoff run could delay any work.
Jaguars vice president/CFO Bill Prescott said the team is aware of the situation and it’s being addressed.
“We are going to sit down next week and say, ‘Here’s our plan. Here’s your plan. Are there any conflicts?’ We’ve got an interest in it for our parking and the Fair also has an interest,” said Prescott, adding he’s not sure how many parking spaces will become available once the Coliseum is gone.
Both Prescott and Rowe said the primary concern will be player and handicap parking.
“I think it’s something that can be done,” said Prescott, indicating it shouldn’t take more than one meeting to reach an agreement. “I think we can quickly resolve any conflicts.”
Rowe agreed.
“We are making sure our plans complement one another,” said Rowe.
On June 17, Better Jacksonville officials plan to meet with the park’s committee to go over the design of the park that will surround the wall. The park is scheduled to be finished by Memorial Day 2004. According to Prescott, the only construction going on next summer will be on the Entertainment Zone outside the South end zone and that should be done in time for the start of the 2004 football season.