Stadium of the Future – Backup 3
Home of the Jaguars
Envisioning a Stadium of the Future
Creation of the Stadium of the Future is a critical component of downtown’s ongoing revitalization.
While a full renovation is still several years away, we know certain key elements — beginning with the addition of Miller Electric Center — are necessary steps toward any comprehensive plan for the stadium.
Determining the long-term future of the stadium began with a comprehensive assessment of the existing facility to understand if renovation of the current facility is structurally possible. The Jaguars and City of Jacksonville worked together to engage Haskell to evaluate this. Fortunately, the assessment confirmed that we have the ability to renovate the existing stadium, which is the preferred path, since it is significantly less expensive than new, ground-up construction — especially as construction costs continue to escalate. In addition, once the renovation process is underway, the Jaguars will be able to reduce the capital improvements that are currently necessary to maintain the building’s condition as it operates today.
Photo Credit: Visit Jacksonville
The evaluation also showed us some pretty significant opportunities for improvement, such as:
- Shade on all seats
- Wider concourses
- Increased space for football operations
- Better vertical transportation
- Replace HVAC, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems
Those changes will need to be incorporated into our vision for a world-class Stadium of the Future, which is complex and requires a multi-phased approach. Below are the necessary steps to reimagine the Home of the Jaguars:
THE FIRST STEP
MILLER ELECTRIC CENTER
We believe that it is critical for the Jaguars team to have the ability to practice during the renovation process. Achieving this objective requires that we move football operations — a 365-day a year function — out of the existing stadium facility and into a dedicated sports performance center.
In order to relocate our football operations and provide the upgraded training and practice facilities our team needs and deserves, we have constructed a state-of-the-art, 125,000-square-foot sports performance center — Miller Electric Center — which represents the first step towards the Stadium of the Future. Construction will conclude in summer of 2023, prior to the start of training camp and the Jaguars’ 2023 season.
Maintained by the Jaguars, the city-owned Miller Electric Center contains locker rooms, team and positional meeting rooms, training and recovery areas, medical support facilities, weight room, dining facilities, office space and a draft room.
Additionally, there are two full-size grass practice fields and a full-size indoor practice field plus shaded public viewing stands, restrooms, concession areas, public art and a pro shop.
With an indoor practice field in the new Miller Electric Center, the Flex Field at the south end of the stadium will be opened up for significantly more public access for community programming.
Moving Forward
What Happens From Here?
While Miller Electric Center is being constructed, the other phases of the Stadium of the Future project can continue, which include:
Development of Current Facility Design Model
3D scanning tools, drones and laser scanning equipment will be used to develop a model for the Stadium, which will be used to plan and design facility improvements and modifications.
Photo Credit: Visit Jacksonville
Benchmarking Best Practices
During this phase, the needs of critical project stakeholders, such as the City of Jacksonville and our fans, will be considered to develop a comprehensive list of facility needs and expectations for the future. A critical element of this phase is visiting recently constructed or renovated stadiums to identify best practices and trends that enhance your safety and overall experience.
Photo Credit: Visit Jacksonville
Evaluation of Design Proposals & Selecting a Design Partner
Using the information collected during our earlier phases, we selected HOK Architects as our design partner to help create the most innovative and thoughtful design concepts. HOK began the process of developing construction drawings for the facility, which help provide the basis for a rough estimate of the potential cost to deliver the design.
Photo Credit: Visit Jacksonville
Final Stadium Design Decision
Once the above phases are concluded, the relevant stakeholders will have obtained the necessary information to develop an effective and actionable plan to deliver the Stadium of the Future.
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