The Jacksonville Jaguars officially broke ground on a brand new amphitheater and covered flex field adjacent to EverBank Field Aug. 19.
To be known as Daily’s Place through Daily’s multiyear partnership with the city and the Jaguars, the new facility represents phase two of the $90 million investment in EverBank Field that may be the beginning of more renovations and upgrades. The first phase included the improvements to the U.S. Assure Club and the creation of a new south end zone super-tunnel that serves as a new field entrance. The second phase is expected to be completed in May 2017.
“I think we are going to have a great venue for entertainment and more reasons for people to come to town and generate revenue for the city and have a great time in the process,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said. “It’s one of the best in the business, and it delivers value for the people who are supporting the Jaguars. It’s raising the bar on how you enjoy football.”
The addition will house the new 5,500-person capacity amphitheater and 94,000-square foot covered flex field, as well as a luxurious back-of-house artist building. The structure will reside under a roof that covers both venues.
The state-of-the-art amphitheater has been designed with both audience and performers in mind. Audience sight lines, sound and video technology have been given consideration to ensure an optimal event experience for attendees. The back-of-house artist building includes multiple artist dressing rooms, lounges and VIP guest meet-and-greet space as well as laundry and dining facilities.
The idea, officials said, is to create a cohesive environment for events and festivals to use the entire stadium premises. At the ground level, the new south end zone field super-tunnel will lead to a new central bar connected to the amphitheater entrance. The existing Bud Light Party Zone and Terrace Suite areas will now be linked to the amphitheater’s elevated seating decks via access bridges at each level.
The covered flex field, meanwhile, includes a regulation-size football field with more than 20 feet of auxiliary space around the artificial playing surface. At its highest point along the 50-yard-line, the roof will rise nearly 80 feet. When the doors are closed to the flex field, the space is fully climate controlled.
The design was conceived in collaboration with architects from Populous and will be built by the team from Hunt+Danis. Populous also designed the newly renovated U.S. Assure Club and the new south end zone tunnel.
Hunt Construction Group has been involved in ongoing renovations to the stadium for more than 20 years. Danis, a locally based construction company, has completed several projects around Jacksonville.
Apparently the $90 million investment is just the beginning if the city wants to “keep up with the Joneses” in the NFL.
“We are not going to get to where we want to be without continuing to make upgrades and do things differently,” Jaguars President Mark Lampling said. “I think we’re making wonderful progress, but we have a long way to go.”
