Orange County TDT sports committee approves pitch to land NFL’s Jaguars

WHEN I SEE YOU COMING UP AT 518. LOCAL SPORTS LEADERS ARE KICKING OFF THEIR CAMPAIGN TO LAND A PRO FOOTBALL TEAM, AT LEAST FOR A YEAR. THE ORGANIZATION THAT HANDLES SPORTS EVENTS AT CAMPING WORLD STADIUM THIS AFTERNOON MADE ITS PITCH FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE THE HOME OF THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, WHILE THEIR NEW STADIUM IS BEING BUILT. WESH 2’S GREG FOX IS LIVE OUTSIDE OF OUR STADIUM, AND GREG, IT IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY WITH CAMPING WORLD BEING UPGRADED. THAT’S THE WAY IT’S BEING FRAMED RIGHT NOW. YOU HAVE A RENOVATION THAT IS GOING ON THAT’S GOING TO BE COMPLETED HERE AT CAMPING WORLD STADIUM IN SUMMER 2027. THE JAGS NEED A STADIUM IN SUMMER 2027, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY CROSSED THAT FIRST HURDLE TODAY. EVERBANK STADIUM HAS BEEN THE HOME OF THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOR THREE DECADES, AND IS BEING RECONSTRUCTED INTO A GLITZY NEW HOME FOR THE NFL TEAM. BUT UNTIL IT’S READY, THE JAGS NEED TEMPORARY DIGS. I’M SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. STEVE HOGAN IS CEO OF FLORIDA CITRUS SPORTS, THE LONGTIME EVENT MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS YOU THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY WEEK, BOWL GAMES AND OTHER MARQUEE MATCHUPS LIKE THE ANNUAL PRO BOWL. FCS ASKED MEMBERS OF THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX, SPORTS INCENTIVE COMMITTEE TO APPROVE A $10 MILLION INCENTIVE PACKAGE FOR THE JAGUARS TO SELECT CAMPING WORLD AS THEIR HOME FOR EIGHT GAMES IN 2027 AND ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS IN INCENTIVES IF THEY MAKE THE PLAYOFFS. I MEAN, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST AN NFL REGULAR SEASON GAME HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN AMBITION BY OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO GRAB THAT TOURISM PART OF THE BUSINESS, BUT AN ENTIRE NFL REGULAR SEASON, I THINK, WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TOO SWEET TO MISS OUT ON FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE JAGUARS PLAYING HERE IS SUBSTANTIAL. FCS IS PROJECTING $160 MILLION FOR ALL EIGHT GAMES. IF ORLANDO ONLY NETS A FEW OF THE GAME’S $20 MILLION PER GAME AS A CONSERVATIVE FIGURE WITH A PROJECTED 150,000 HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS BOOKED FOR ALL EIGHT GAMES, AND CAMPING WORLD SHOULD BE READY TO HOST THE JAGS, A $400 MILLION OVERHAUL IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, WITH DEMOLITION SET FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR. THE UPGRADES WILL INCLUDE REPLACING THE MORE THAN 30 YEAR OLD UPPER DECK AND RAISING CAPACITY TO 65,000. A MULTI-PURPOSE EVENT SPACE OF ABOUT 100,000FT WOULD ALSO BE ADDED, AND THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL FOCUS ON ADDING DISABLED SEATING, CONCESSIONS AND RESTROOMS PLANNED TO BE OPENED AT THE END OF JULY. IN 2027 WILL SERVE NICELY FOR AN NFL REGULAR SEASON, AND THIS WOULD BE AWESOME TO FINALLY HAVE ONE IN THIS TOWN. I THINK IT NOT ONLY WILL BE A HUGE BOON FOR TOURISM, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE COUNTRY, MAYBE THE WORLD, THAT THIS IS A MAJOR LEAGUE TOWN AND WE’RE JUST READY FOR THAT NEXT MAJOR LEAGUE SPORT TO CHOOSE ORLANDO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SAY AYE. AYE, AYE. WITH THAT, THE SPORTS INCENTIVE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MILLIONS TO TRY AND LURE THE JAGUARS. AND SO HERE’S THE TIMELINE. NOW IT LOOKS LIKE NEXT MONTH AT A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING. COMMISSIONERS WILL VOTE ON THIS 10 MILLION TO POTENTIALLY $11 MILLION IN TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX DOLLARS BEING SPENT. THE NFL OWNERS MEET IN MAY. THEY WILL DISCUSS THIS AND EXPECT A FINAL DECISION SOMETIME IN EARLY SUMMER.

The Tourist Development Tax Sports Incentive Committee in Orange county green-lighted on Monday a proposal to spend at least $10 million to try and lure the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL football team to Camping World Stadium for the 2027 season. Gainesville is also competing to try and land the Jags at “The Swamp” (University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium) for either the entire or a partial season, but many close to the discussions, who do not have the authority to share information with the media, believe Orlando’s easy access to hotels, and surrounding attractions and accommodations, make it the clear front runner. EverBank Stadium has been the home of the Jacksonville Jaguars for three decades and is being reconstructed into a glitzy new home for the NFL team. Much preliminary work is underway, but to fully complete the job requires playing elsewhere for a season. “I’m super excited about this opportunity,” Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan told the Sports Incentive Committee to launch his pitch at the county administration building. FCS is the longtime event management organization that brings you the annual holiday week bowl games, and other marquee football events like the annual Pro Bowl. Hogan asked members of the Committee to approve a $10-million incentive package for the Jaguars to select Camping World as their home for eight games in 2027 and potentially another one million dollars in incentives if they make the playoffs. Hogan added, “I mean, the opportunity to host an NFL regular season game has always been an ambition by our community and understand what it is to grab that tourism component to this business, but an entire NFL regular season, I think, would be an opportunity too sweet to miss out on for our community.” The economic impact of the Jaguars playing here is substantial. FCS is projecting $160 million dollars for all eight games. If Orlando only nets a few games, $20 million per game is a conservative figure, with a projected 150,000 hotel rooms booked if all eight games are played in Orlando. And Camping World should be ready to host the Jags. A $400 million overhaul is already underway, with demolition set for early next year. The upgrades will include replacing the more than 30-year-old upper deck and raising the capacity to 65,000. A multi-purpose event space of about 100,000 square feet would also be added. There will be a special focus on adding disabled seating, concessions and restrooms.“We plan to be open the end of July 2027, and serve nicely an NFL regular season. And this would be awesome to finally happen in this town. And not only be a huge boon to tourism but an opportunity to maybe show the country and the world that this is a major league town and we’re just ready for that next major league sport to choose Orlando," Hogan said. With few questions about the proposal, the committee voted unanimously to approve the millions needed to try and lure the Jaguars. The Board of County Commissioners will vote on the funding recommendation in mid to late April. The NFL and the Jaguars will discuss it at the owners meeting in May, with a final decision expected this summer.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

Gainesville is also competing to try and land the Jags at “The Swamp” (University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium) for either the entire or a partial season, but many close to the discussions, who do not have the authority to share information with the media, believe Orlando’s easy access to hotels, and surrounding attractions and accommodations, make it the clear front runner.

EverBank Stadium has been the home of the Jacksonville Jaguars for three decades and is being reconstructed into a glitzy new home for the NFL team. Much preliminary work is underway, but to fully complete the job requires playing elsewhere for a season.

“I’m super excited about this opportunity,” Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan told the Sports Incentive Committee to launch his pitch at the county administration building.

FCS is the longtime event management organization that brings you the annual holiday week bowl games, and other marquee football events like the annual Pro Bowl. Hogan asked members of the Committee to approve a $10-million incentive package for the Jaguars to select Camping World as their home for eight games in 2027 and potentially another one million dollars in incentives if they make the playoffs.

Hogan added, “I mean, the opportunity to host an NFL regular season game has always been an ambition by our community and understand what it is to grab that tourism component to this business, but an entire NFL regular season, I think, would be an opportunity too sweet to miss out on for our community.”

The economic impact of the Jaguars playing here is substantial. FCS is projecting $160 million dollars for all eight games. If Orlando only nets a few games, $20 million per game is a conservative figure, with a projected 150,000 hotel rooms booked if all eight games are played in Orlando.

And Camping World should be ready to host the Jags. A $400 million overhaul is already underway, with demolition set for early next year. The upgrades will include replacing the more than 30-year-old upper deck and raising the capacity to 65,000. A multi-purpose event space of about 100,000 square feet would also be added. There will be a special focus on adding disabled seating, concessions and restrooms.

“We plan to be open the end of July 2027, and serve nicely an NFL regular season. And this would be awesome to finally happen in this town. And not only be a huge boon to tourism but an opportunity to maybe show the country and the world that this is a major league town and we’re just ready for that next major league sport to choose Orlando," Hogan said.

With few questions about the proposal, the committee voted unanimously to approve the millions needed to try and lure the Jaguars.

The Board of County Commissioners will vote on the funding recommendation in mid to late April. The NFL and the Jaguars will discuss it at the owners meeting in May, with a final decision expected this summer.

Orange County TDT sports committee approves pitch to land NFL’s Jaguars

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