Cities with professional sports teams continue to find the resources and public support to renovate aging sports facilities.
In Jacksonville, the city council recently approved an agreement between the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and the city on a $1.4 billion renovation of EverBank Stadium, according to ESPN. If 24 of the NFL’s 32 team owners approve the agreement, construction is scheduled to begin after the team's 2025 season concludes and will finish in time for the 2028 season.
The Jaguars and the city agreed to each contribute $625 million to the renovation, and the city also agreed to pay $150 million over the next two seasons for maintenance and repairs to prepare the stadium for construction. That means the city will be responsible for 55 percent of the total cost.
In Charlotte, the city recently agreed to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to Bank of America Stadium’s renovation and start talking about a new stadium in 2037, according to the Charlotte Observer. The city council agreed to a deal that commits $650 million to update the nearly 30-year-old home of the Carolina Panthers.
Renovations for Bank of America Stadium will begin in 2025. Those upgrades include: new seats installed throughout the upper and lower bowls; improved accessibility throughout the facility for people with disabilities; stadium safety and security enhancements, including improved lighting; a reimagined South Lawn Pavilion area that can be used as a community gathering spot and outdoor classroom on game days and non-event days; upgraded restrooms; exterior enhancement; and modernization of mechanical, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
