Category: Shad Khan

Shad Khan’s shipyard project advances after unanimous DIA Board vote

The proposed Lot J development failed at the City Council level. Now, Shad Khan will have another chance to woo them over.

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s downtown development plan for the Shipyard took a major step forward on Wednesday, as the Downtown Investment Authority board voted 8-0 to approve $114 million worth of incentives from the city for Khan’s project, which is estimated to cost $441 million in total.

With the successful vote, the project, which will be built at the site of the Kids Kampus at Metropolitan Park near TIAA Bank Field, will advance to Mayor Lenny Curry’s Budget Review Committee and then to the city council for another vote.

A DIA committee voted 5-0 on June 25 to move the plan to this stage, and with the board’s approval, it’s closer to becoming a reality. Khan first announced the project early last month, and it includes a Four Seasons hotel within walking distance of the stadium, an office building for both team and wider commercial use as well as a nearby marina.

This proposal came on the heels of the failure of the Lot J development, the incentives deal for which did not pass the city council vote. That plan, which was supposed to be built in a parking lot west of the stadium, also included a hotel. Now, Khan will have a second chance to woo over the city council.

Shad Khan’s Shipyard project receives initial DIA approval

Shad Khan’s latest downtown development plans for Jacksonville cleared one hurdle on Friday.

Shad Khan’s plans to build up the downtown Jacksonville area took a step forward Friday. A Downtown Investment Authority committee voted 5-0 to push forward a development agreement for his plans to build two buildings across the street from TIAA Bank Field.

As many can recall, Khan revealed these plans, which also included a football facility for the Jags, to the public earlier this month at his 1st Downtown Jacksonville event. However, the approval by the DIA Friday was to advance a development agreement for over $110 million in city incentives for Khan’s plans to construct a Four Seasons Hotel, office building, and rebuild a marina next to where both buildings would be.

The next step is to have the DIA board consider the deal before it can be sent to Mayor Lenny Curry’s Budget Review Committee. Then when that happens the City Council will be asked to look at it and approve it.

Overall, the plan Khan discussed earlier this month will cost $441 million, but it would bring a five-star hotel to the city within walking distance from the Jags’ stadium. The office building is something the Jags would use for operations on the first few floors, while other tenants could use the rest of the building.

As for the Jags performance facility, the cost will be around $120 million. And while it wasn’t a part of this week’s discussion, it was stated that the Jags and city would split that price in half earlier this month.

Jaguars to make contribution in honor of civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson

In honor of both Juneteenth and the birthday of civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson, the Jaguars announced a donation to create a park.

In honor of the birthday of civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), The Jaguars Foundation and the Khan Family announced that they will donate $250,000 in support of the creation of the Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park.

The name of the park is a reference to the song of the same name, widely known as the Black National Anthem. Johnson, along with his brother John Rosamond Johnson, wrote the song while living in the LaVilla neighborhood of Jacksonville between 1900-05.

“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” was first performed in 1905 by students at the Stanton School, where Mr. Johnson was principal, as part of a tribute to Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.

“I think it is only fitting that on his birthday, we honor our native son, James Weldon Johnson, with a permanent reminder of his many contributions to Black culture and American culture at large,” T-Neisha Tate, Jaguars vice president of social responsibility and impact, said. “We’re grateful to have the platform and opportunity to bring awareness to how much rich history exists mere miles from our stadium home and can’t wait to see how the City of Jacksonville continues to embrace its history.”

This contribution is part of a celebration of both Johnson’s birthday and Juneteenth, the day slaves in Texas were emancipated toward the twilight of the Civil War. The holiday represents the anniversary of the day all slaves within the former confederacy were informed of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Juneteenth is celebrated in recognition of Black liberation, activism and culture.

Jaguars receiver Marvin Jones Jr. delivered a performance of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” at the Ritz Theater in LaVilla, a historic black landmark described as “the mecca for African American culture and heritage.”

“It’s always amazing when you can go and see your culture and see where things started and see where things have developed,” Jones said. “I know growing up in the church, we sang this song as well. It just brings back memories. It’s very heartfelt and very powerful. I’m just glad I had the opportunity to sing it.”

June 19 became a company holiday for the team last year, and this year, the city of Jacksonville has a number of events planned with the aim of giving both players and staff a greater understanding of the significance of Juneteenth and the role that Black culture has played in the history of the city.

With minicamp in the books, the team has a good bit of time off from the grind of practice and instead will have the opportunity to recognize the history associated with this week.

New episode of ‘The Hunt’ explains why Trevor Lawrence pick took so long

We now know the reason why it took so long for the Jaguars to make their selection of quarterback Trevor Lawrence official on draft night.

There was very little mystery surrounding the first overall pick during the pre-draft process. Though the Jacksonville Jaguars tried (in vain) to shroud their decision-making, all signs pointed to the team taking Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Coach Urban Meyer helping Lawrence organize his early pro-day dispelled any remaining questions about the team’s intentions.

But Jags fans who were anxious to hear Lawrence’s name called on draft night may remember that the team took quite a bit of time before announcing the pick. Many may have just assumed that the team was trying to make the selection more dramatic, but as it turns out, the actual explanation is much more practical (and hilarious).

According to “The Hunt,” the documentary series released by the team recapping the draft, phone issues made it difficult for the team to get in touch with Lawrence.

“When the league called, they said you have to wait seven minutes to turn in the card, so we didn’t pick up the phone to call him,” general manager Trent Baalke said. “He’s sitting on his end wondering why we haven’t called him.”

Apparently, the team tried to call Lawrence several times and received an automated voicemail message.

“After about three tries, we’re getting nervous,” owner Shad Khan said. “And Urban said, ‘I’m getting on my cell phone right now.'”

The third time was the charm, and Lawrence answered the call from Meyer. Clearly, the concern as the clock ticked away was felt on both ends.

“I’m anxious,” Lawrence said as he answered the call.

But that anxiety was unnecessary. With connectivity issues sorted out, the Jaguars could finally go through the formality of turning in their card for Lawrence. Though the timing was a little too close for comfort, the Jaguars avoided what would have been one of the most embarrassing moments in NFL history.

It seems even cell service can’t stop what Meyer and Co. are building in Jacksonville.

Jags remain a top-50 most valuable franchise

The team’s value has increased tremendously since it was bought by Shad Khan in 2011, and its up 66% in value over the last five years.

Jacksonville is one of the smallest markets in the NFL (and in North American sports, in general). But that hasn’t stopped the Jaguars from overperforming in the value department in recent years relative to their market size. According to this year’s rundown from Forbes of the most valuable franchises in professional sports, the Jaguars came in at a tie for 47th with the New York Mets.

47 (tie). Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)

• Value: $2.45 billion

• Five-Year Change In Value: 66%

• Owner: Shahid Khan

• Year Purchased: 2011

• Price Paid: $770 million

Last season, the Jags were the 44th most-valuable franchise in professional sports. The also were the 23rd most-valuable NFL franchise, but fell to 25th this season.

It’s fairly impressive to see Jacksonville in lockstep with a massive market team like the Mets, and it’s even more impressive how much more valuable the team is now than when it was purchased by Khan in 2011. Between Khan’s investment in the team locally and overseas in the United Kingdom, it’s a much bigger brand now than it was under the Weaver family.

With the addition of a superstar in the making in quarterback Trevor Lawrence, it seems the ever-rising value of the Jaguars will only continue to increase in the coming years.

Trevor Lawrence, Urban Meyer behind a rise in new, young Jags season ticket holders

This offseason has seen Jacksonville receive eight times as many season-ticket deposits as it had in recent years.

This offseason in Jacksonville, the theme has been culture change. By bringing in Urban Meyer, a legendary college coach giving the NFL a shot for the first time, it went in an aggressive and different direction. Earlier during draft week, owner Shad Khan discussed this.

“You don’t want to have too much hyperbole, but it is transformational,” Khan said. “It gives us the opportunity for sustainable and longterm success. That’s what really eluded us. Three years ago, I thought, ‘Okay, we really turned the corner.’ We were even a Super Bowl darling. We even got off to a 3-1 start. That was September of 2018. And then obviously it’s been a downhill ride. This feels like we have definitely turned the corner.”

Now, with former Clemson quarterback and first-overall pick Trevor Lawrence officially on board, there’s a lot of excitement around the team. According to NFL Network’s Judy Battista, the franchise has seen a rise in season ticket purchases this offseason. With spikes in December, when the team secured the first pick, and again in mid-January when it hired Meyer, Battista reports the team has seen eight times the number of new deposits than it has the last few seasons.

More than 50% of those deposit holders are completely new (they had never purchased a ticket of any kind and didn’t appear in the team’s database), and they are on average 10 years younger than the current season ticket base.

It seems this new regime is not only attracting new fans but also attracting younger fans. That’s certainly a positive trend for one of the NFL’s smaller market teams. Though Jacksonville has sold well relative to its on-field success in the past, there’s never been this level of excitement around the franchise.

The Jaguars have been an afterthought in this league for a long time, but those days appear to have come to an end.

Shad Khan eager for national spotlight moment that will come with the 2021 NFL Draft

Jags owner Shad Khan has only gotten to witness a few good moments as the Jags owner, but Thursday will certainly mark another one.

Aside from the 2017 season, Shad Khan hasn’t had a lot of bright moments since acquiring the Jacksonville Jaguars as he’s only manage to garner a 41-106 record in his first nine years as owner. However, he hasn’t been able to stop smiling this week with the No. 1 overall pick in his possession.

Of course, the reason for that is because the team will use it to acquire Trevor Lawrence — and with that selection comes hope and optimism. The national spotlight will also come with the anticipation of Thursday’s draft, which is something every owner wants whether they admit it or not.

“We’re looking at hope, optimism,” Khan said according to the Associated Press. “I want to enjoy the moment. I want all the fans, all of us in Jacksonville, to enjoy this moment and our time in the national spotlight. If we have hope and we’re winning, obviously, that’s a lot better for the city and it’s a lot better for the Jags.”

Khan’s worst season as an owner took place last year, when the Jags went 1-15, good for the worst record in franchise history. However, with the misery of watching his team come up short week-after-week, came the No. 1 pick in a year where the best prospect since Andrew Luck was set to enter the draft. Now, Khan has a chance to address the position that is the hardest to find in the NFL: the franchise quarterback.

“It’s that one player [who] is the hardest thing to [find],” Khan added.

Of course, no player is guaranteed success and Lawrence will have to put in the work and prove himself in the NFL. However, he’s stepped to the plate every time he’s been asked, whether it was in high school, or replacing Deshaun Watson at Clemson. With that being the case, Khan has every reason to be optimistic as the odds feel like they are in Lawrence’s favor to translate one more time.

Shad Khan on No. 1 pick: ‘It’s gonna define us, certain for the rest of my life’

The Jaguars owner said that this pick will define the Jaguars for the rest of his life.

Jacksonville has never had the first overall pick before. Even as an expansion team in 1995, they had to pick second behind the Carolina Panthers. But now, after a 1-15 2020 season, the Jaguars are on the clock, and they have the opportunity to take a generational talent at the quarterback position.

While speaking with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Jags owner Shad Khan didn’t go as far as to confirm that Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence would be the pick there, but he did speak about the significance of the pick. He also spoke about how it will affect the franchise in the years to come.

“If you know anything about football, if you know anything about the Jaguars, yeah,” Khan said when speaking on the assumption of the Jags’ pick. “But this is a decision that … it’s gonna define us, certainly for the rest of my life. And everything I read and hear from people who know a lot more about football than I do, for them, it’s like stating the obvious.

“The Jaguars, being among the two youngest teams in the league, I can talk about my nine years — it’s by far the most important time for the Jaguars,” he said. “That’s why I think having Urban [Meyer] leading the team, and where we ended up with the season, I knew that this would be arguably the most important decision I’d be making, maybe in my lifetime. How the stars aligned … it’s something that can really secure the future for the Jacksonville Jaguars.”

It’s hard to understate how important this pick could be for Jacksonville. If it goes well, the team will land a franchise quarterback for the next decade or more. For a team that’s finished above .500 just once since 2017, that’s an attractive thought.

Khan discussed the 2017 Jaguars team that went to the AFC Championship. Though that team was so close to breaking through, he said that the pieces weren’t in place like they are now.

“I mean, it’s surreal,” Khan said. “It’s like you can see the promised land. But I gotta tell you, three years ago, we were in the [AFC] Championship Game, and so, so close to being in the Super Bowl. I mean, hard to believe — three years ago! So this, it’s different. All the pieces are aligned, this isn’t a one-off, you’re setting the path for sustainable success.”

Only time will tell if that path leads to a Super Bowl in Jacksonville, but one thing is certain: With Lawrence coming to town, the Jaguars could land the best quarterback they’ve had since Mark Brunell, at the very least.

Shad Khan was ‘blown away’ by Zoom meeting with Trevor Lawrence

The Jaguars owner met with the presumptive first overall pick via Zoom, and it seems Shad Khan liked what he heard from Trevor Lawrence.

Jacksonville is still being coy about its plans with the first overall pick, but the subtlety is starting to wear thin. After comments last week from assistant head coach Charlie Strong heavily implied the team will take Lawrence, team owner Shad Khan gave fans even more of a reason to believe Lawrence will be their pick in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Khan said that he met with the presumptive pick, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, on Zoom, and that he was pleased with what he heard.

“I was really blown away,” Khan said. “I spoke to Trevor on Zoom in a very pleasant way, his sense of humility, his absolute drive. He wants to make a difference, in the community and, obviously, most importantly, on the gridiron.”

It’s nice to hear that the owner-player relationship seems to be off to a good start, and though Khan won’t explicitly say the team is taking Lawrence, he’s not hiding it very well.

In the same interview, Khan spoke about the importance of the pick, saying it would define the Jaguars for the rest of his life. Knowing those stakes, it seems like he feels very comfortable drafting Lawrence.

As expected, Jags have found ‘no negatives’ with Trevor Lawrence

The draft is almost a week away and the Jags appear to have done all their homework on Trevor Lawrence.

Thursday will mark a week away from the 2021 NFL Draft, which means the Jacksonville Jaguars are inching closer to the probable selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick. And after having months to do their research on him, Jags general manager Trent Baalke told the media that the front office has yet to find a single negative on Lawrence.

“Well, the easiest way to answer that is [there are] no negatives,” said Baalke when asked what the team has learned about the Clemson star over meetings. “[With] all the research we’ve done, you’re always looking for the stars to align when you’re looking at prospects, whether that be from a physical, mental, character aspect, whatever the case may be. With his situation, like many others in this draft, the stars all align and that’s what you’re looking for.”

The next step in their decision to take Lawrence will be to meet with owner Shad Khan in the coming days as he will have the final say. Although Baalke admitted that the Jags received calls about pick No. 1, it’s hard to imagine them coming off the selection as Khan started the offseason stressing the importance of a franchise quarterback.

“We’ve fielded a couple of calls, but I think we’re going to hold tight,” Baalke said. “Again, that decision is made organizationally and our ownership is definitely involved with that as well.”

Khan understands better than anyone that Lawrence can help make the team more marketable and help them on the field, too, so one would have to think the decision will be a no-brainer.