The Jaguars’ projected $120 million performance facility cleared a major hurdle on Thursday, as the Downtown Development Review Board approved the design concept, per the Jacksonville Daily Record. This approval is preliminary, and another approval for a more thorough design is also required.
Approval from the DDRB was considered a formality, as a report issued by the DDRB staff before the vote recommended approval. However, there were some issues the staff took with the original design, reportedly referring to it as an “airplane hangar.” To help combat this, the building will feature a mural that wraps around three sides of the building, with the fourth side being a green wall covered with live plants.
Solar panels will also be installed on the roof, and designers will apply for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The Jacksonville City Council is currently considering legislation that would split the cost of the facility between the team and the city, with the city responsible for no more than $60 million of the cost. Any extra costs will be covered by the team, and if the project comes in under budget, the city and team will split the savings. The city would own the facility and lease it to the team.
It seems that owner Shad Khan has finally gotten the cooperation from the city he’s been looking for when it comes to development, and though there are several more hurdles to clear, things are currently progressing as planned for the facility.