EverBank Field will have the world's largest scoreboards.
City Council approved a bill Tuesday funding the city's $43 million of the $63 million project, establishing the new scoreboards, an upgraded north end zone deck and adding water features to the city-owned facility. The other $20 million will be paid by Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan.
The 14-2 vote followed a 15-1 vote earlier in the day when the council met as a committee of the whole to move the bill to a final vote later.
Council member Stephen Joost opposed both times, while council member Don Redman opposed the final legislation. Redman voted for it earlier in the day, but later said he knew he wasn't going to vote for it at the evening meeting because his constituents were against it.
Council member Greg Anderson, an EverBank employee, abstained from both votes. Council members Reggie Brown and Kim Daniels were not at the final meeting.
Joost said he wanted further assurances the team would not later move, leaving the city on the hook for the improvements without a tenant.
Joost during the earlier committee meeting said he was in favor of stadium improvements, but wanted to know the team wouldn't later move. He cited the Atlanta Braves, which announced Monday they were leaving their current stadium in Fulton County, Ga., for a new facility miles north in Cobb County, Ga. The Fulton County facility turns 20 in 2017, when the baseball team plans to move.
In the full council meeting, Joost attempted to amend the legislation to add the city's $43 million into the liquidations clause, should the Jaguars leave.
Team lobbyist Paul Harden called the proposal a "non-starter," explaining the improvements remain even if the team left and don't affect payments made to the city by the team.
The issue of adding a clause was raised, but was not a negotiated issue, said John Sawyer, city office of general counsel.
Joost’s idea was rejected by council.
Regarding any move, Chris Hand, Mayor Alvin Brown's chief of staff, said the city believed negotiations with the Jaguars were in good faith and the team has "repeatedly given its commitment to Jacksonville."
Other concerns cropped up last week when the Council Auditor's Office compiled its list of concerns and needed adjustments. Most were addressed Tuesday.
The city now will be able to schedule events on the revamped north end zone deck, should they provide the team with 60 days' notice and it does not have a reasonable objection.
Any revenue that comes from the north end zone's naming rights will stay with the team, though. Hand said the money is a "major" part of how the NFL looks at locally generated revenue.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping said last week the team ranks near the bottom of the league in such revenue, with ticket sales comprising the majority of how those funds are collected.
Not addressed is how the city will pay for the more than $367,000 seats needed for the annual Florida-Georgia game. Seats have been needed for several years, but more will be needed with the north end zone changes.
The city's portion of the $63 million project will come from Duval County bed taxes, 2 cents from a 6-cent tax on hotel rooms. It will borrow its share and repay it over time, with the debt service about $3 million a year.
Several public commenters referred to the deal coming from taxpayers, which drew the ire of Council President Bill Gulliford.
"Taxpayers money doesn't pay for it," Gulliford told one public commenter.
The improvements are expected to be completed by the start of the 2014 Jaguars season.
Also Tuesday evening:
• A backyard hens pilot program narrowly passed with a 9-7 vote, establishing a two-year program for 300 participants. The debate and hammering out of details has taken months, including some adjustments Tuesday when several council members amended the bill to opt out certain neighborhoods that requested to be exempt.
One idea that didn't fly was requiring residential hen owners to acquire signatures from neighbors as part of the permitting process. City Council Vice President Clay Yarborough said before the bill sunsets in 18 months that he would come up with a more formal process for the bill and permitting, should the pilot program be deemed successful.
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