From Duval to Orange: Important Date Set For Jaguars’ Future

During the NFL’s initial wave of free agency, the first two weeks of March were important to the Jaguars’ present. The fourth week in March will be important to the team’s future.

Jacksonville has launched a $1.4 billion renovation of EverBank Stadium, with a construction timeline that includes displacing the Jaguars for the entirety of the 2027 NFL season. The city likely to host Jaguars home games that year is Orlando.

And if Orlando is to host the Jaguars, Monday marks an important hurdle. That’s when the local sports commission, Florida Citrus Sports, will make a presentation to Orange County's Tourist Development Tax Sports Incentive Committee.

FCS president and CEO Steve Hogan told the Orlando Business Journal that his organization is committed to driving economic impact and reinforcing the city’s reputation as a top destination for premier events.

“With Central Florida’s proven track record of supporting the NFL — including six of the past eight Pro Bowls — our community is well-positioned to host the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2027,” Hogan said in a statement. “We look forward to presenting our vision to the Sports Incentive Committee and showcasing how this opportunity will create lasting benefits for the region.”

If successful, eight to 10 of those benefits for the region – including demand for Orlando-area hotel rooms and restaurants -- would be Jaguars home weekends. In 2027, the team is scheduled to host 2024 MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, as well as head coach Liam Coen’s former team, Tampa Bay.

Orlando’s Camping World Stadium is reportedly planning $400 million in improvements over the next two years, so Monday’s presentation is significant. NFL owners will convene at the end of March in Palm Beach for the league’s biggest annual meeting, but the Jaguars are not expected to make the agenda.

The team’s presentation and recommendation to the league and a potential decision on 2027 could be on the docket for the May league meeting.

That recommendation is expected to be either Orlando or Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla., home of the University of Florida Gators. The Gainesville location is closer, approximately 90 minutes from Jacksonville, but the Orlando venue is better suited for NFL games, which require specific communications infrastructure, goal posts, field markings and playing surfaces jointly approved by the NFL and its players’ union.

That means the Gainesville option, affectionately known as The Swamp, isn’t a likely favorite of the NFL. Retrofitting the 95-year-old venue for just one year doesn’t seem to be the most efficient path.

“If we can get to a consensus, which I'm sure we'll be able to do that, we'll then go through the normal NFL-approval process,” Jaguars president Mark Lamping said last month.

“Keep in mind, the approval process for a temporary stadium is the exact same as extending a lease. So, we not only have to have the league approval, committee approval, but also 75 percent of NFL owners agree.”

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