The Jacksonville Jaguars are facing a break from their current home for two years or longer.
The team is planning extensive renovations to TIAA Bank Field, which is likely to force a lengthy relocation.
Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry told local radio station 1010XL that in the “best-case scenario,” the renovation would impact two football seasons, during which the “team will have to play somewhere else.” The mayor’s proclamation cuts against initial plans for the renovations, which were to take place only during offseasons.
The construction will likely take place during the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
The Jaguars are hoping to play somewhere within Jacksonville during that time — but that would involve a stark reduction in crowd size. TIAA can hold 67,838 people, while the city’s second-largest stadium, at the University of North Florida, holds around 12,000.
The relocation is expected to also affect the annual Florida-Georgia football game, which could take turns at each school’s campus during construction.
The Jaguars are looking into a number of improvements, including shade on all seats, wider concourses, better vertical transportation, more space for football operations, and replacing HVAC, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems.
