On the field, the Jacksonville Jaguars compete against teams from around the U.S.
Off it, they’re preparing to possibly go heads up against soccer venues, Daytona International Speedway and other major sports leagues. All for a slice of about $7 million in sales tax rebates set aside by the Legislature as part of the Florida Sports Development Program.
In June, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill providing state financial help to local governments for construction and renovations to facilities that host professional sports franchises or “signature events.”
The incentive is a 75 percent rebate of new sales tax generated by those events or teams at the facility. The facility generates about $4.5 million annually, mostly through Jaguars-related events, team lobbyist Paul Harden told the City Council Rules Committee on Monday.
The team will apply for $1 million this year in additional sales tax rebates, which is allowable because renovations to EverBank Field since last year topped $100 million. It already receives about $2 million each year through a similar 30-year program when the stadium was built in the mid-1990s. The latest incentive would be an additional financial boost that could be spent on EverBank Field.
The team and city combined to spend $67 million that included renovations to the north end zone, constructing the world’s largest scoreboards and implementing upgraded Wi-Fi throughout the stadium. According to the resolution, there also will be new signage for the naming rights deal signed with EverBank and club space renovations.
Applications for the incentive are due to the state by Nov. 1. To help its cause, the team is seeking a City Council resolution of support be approved on a one-cycle emergency. Final approval would be the Oct. 28, but council committees this week have the chance to review it.
The Rules Committee signed off with no real debate and a 7-0 vote.
Council member Warren Jones said the incentive was a way to maintain competitiveness in a sports landscape that always is changing. He mentioned a new facility being planned for Atlanta that could again mean officials make a run at wooing the annual Florida-Georgia game.
If the team were to win the incentive, the money would come to the city and could be bonded for further renovations or maintenance issues, Harden told the group. There is no guarantee the team’s bid will succeed, he said, but local support helps.
“Really, it’s an opportunity to just bend over and pick up money,” Harden told the committee.
The Finance and Recreation, Community Development, Public Health and Safety committees will take up the resolution today.
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