The Jaguars held their fourth community meeting Friday. The Huddle Up is where the community is able to learn more about the $2 billion dollar upgrades to TIAA Bank Field.
What we have not heard much about are the plans for the surrounding area around the stadium, what used to be the LOT J project.
It was a full house at the Extreme Wing Sports Grill next to NAS JAX Friday. Wilbur Sweet was at the meeting and had plenty to say about the stadium plans and what it could bring. News4JAX asked him what he thinks about developing the area surrounding the stadium.
“Well, I would like to know, if it gets approved, is it going to bring in more jobs downtown? And I would like to know about the vacant lot…what do they got over there, what did they purchased over there? Is there going to be more restaurants, and all kinds of other stuff,” Sweet said.
As part of the plan, the old Lot J project is being revived. There are not many renderings of it. But it will be discussed in the upcoming negotiations with mayor elect Donna Deegan. News4JAX asked Jaguars President Mark Lamping about the sports district, which would be in addition to the Four Seasons and office building currently being constructed across from the stadium.
“Well, what you’re going to see is a mixed-use development, that includes housing, that includes retail, if the University of Florida comes, it’ll probably include student housing, as well as, entertainment for certain–may include a hotel, it depends on the scale of the development. So when talking about LOT J, you know, I think, the fact that it was mixed use, that’s very similar. Will the deal be the same as Lot J? This will be part of a much bigger deal,” Lamping said.
It was over two years ago when the city council voted down the first Lot J development plan.
Even though we’re seeing and talking about the plans right now, negotiations on what’s going to happen really aren’t going to begin till July. That’s when Donna Deegan and the new administration takes office. That’s when they’re really going to start going over everything. The Jags say they hope to have something in place by October, and hope to sign a new deal by Mid 2024. If not — they said the price tag of the project could increase.