The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair moves this fall to its new home in West Jacksonville, but there still will be an attraction at the Downtown property.
It’s a sneak peek at the renovated EverBank Stadium, which remains open this year and closes in 2027 before reopening the following season upon completion of the $1.4 billion project.
But the peek isn’t at the stadium.
Instead, the Jacksonville Jaguars National Football League franchise is building out the “Jacksonville Sales Experience Center” in a former Jacksonville Fairgrounds building nearby.
“The Stadium of the Future Sales Center will provide an experiential journey through the reimagined stadium where current and prospective Season Ticket Members and corporate partners will be able to envision seating and hospitality options for 2028 and beyond,” said Jaguars Business Communications Director Lyndsay Rossman in an email July 23.
Jaguars.com says Jaguars Season Ticket Membership is an annual package that includes tickets to every Jaguars home game at EverBank Stadium, as well as exclusive events and benefits throughout the year.
The city is reviewing a permit for Birken Construction Inc. of Jacksonville to build out a 4,940-square-foot building at an estimated project cost of almost $1.06 million.
The building is at 510 Fairgrounds Place. Legacy Engineering Inc. of Jacksonville is the civil engineer. Design Development Architecture Inc. of Middleburg is the architect.
"The entire center is designed to provide a wow factor for the people who make appointments so we won’t be sharing renderings ahead of time," Rossman said.
Plans show a lobby, offices, a break room, a bar and hospitality area, a “cube” presentation area with video equipment, a “tunnel,” four closing rooms and an “exit experience.”
“Entry is by appointment only and each area of the center is meant to surprise and delight buyers with exclusive sneak peeks into sightlines and new amenities with the ultimate goal of selecting their locations for season tickets in the Stadium of the Future,” Rossman said.
“While the interior is unique to the Jaguars and its fanbase, this type of sales approach is used by any other city or sports organization debuting a new or renovated venue.”
The facility is not open to the public but appointments for the ticket members start the first week of September, she said.
About that cube
Tepper Sports & Entertainment, which owns and operates the Carolina Panthers, unveiled plans in February for the Bank of America Stadium Experience Center set to open this summer in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“The Experience Center will inspire guests with a dynamic, hands-on, multisensory journey that showcases what is next for one of the Carolinas’ most iconic venues,” says Panthers.com.
“Highlights include dynamic hologram moments, replicated club lounge spaces, an interactive stadium model showcasing key design elements, historical lookbacks, and more,” it says.
“At the heart of the experience is the Immersive Cube, a cutting-edge technology that lets visitors step inside the project, explore detailed renderings, and truly grasp the scale, layout, and vision behind the transformation.”
The site says the Experience Center will feature an adjacent sales office, where Tepper Sports & Entertainment’s commercial team, which includes both the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC soccer team, will be based throughout the renovation.
The Experience Center and adjoining office space, totaling about 15,700 square feet, are under a 48-month lease agreement with Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership.
The fairgrounds
Through Fairgrounds Jacksonville Owner LLC, Iguana Investments Florida LLC paid $15.12 million for the 14.1-acre fairgrounds property at 510 Fairgrounds Place and 550 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. in February 2025.
It bought the site in two deeds from Duval County Fair Association Inc., formerly known as Greater Jacksonville Fair Association Inc.
Iguana Investments is Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s investment group.
The combined site north of VyStar Ballpark and northwest of EverBank Stadium had been the home of the fair since 1990. Miller Electric Center, the Jaguars practice facility and offices, is adjacent to the east.
The sales experience center is at 510 Fairgrounds Place, which comprises three buildings that include the new sales center.
The 550 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. site has a warehouse built in 1991.
Iguana says it plans to use the fairgrounds property for parking at Jaguars games and other events. It is expected to increase parking at the Sports Complex to 1,600 spaces.
Meanwhile, the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair debuts Nov. 5-15 at its new location at 13601 Normandy Blvd. after 70 years in Downtown Jacksonville.
“The Fair has made a major move into a bigger, bolder future, going from 15 acres to a whopping 82+ acres of festival-ready land on the Westside built for more rides, more attractions, more exhibits, more entertainment, improved traffic flow, expanded layouts and 5,000+ easy-in/easy-out parking spots. Same beloved Fair. Big new playground,” says JacksonvilleFair.com.