The Jacksonville Jaguars have contacted the University of Florida and the University of North Florida to discuss the possibility of games being relocated from TIAA Bank Field during future stadium renovations, the schools each confirmed to the Florida Times-Union.
On Wednesday, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said in a radio interview that a two-year renovation of the Jaguars’ home stadium may happen during the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and that “the team will have to play somewhere else” during the project.
While the veracity of those claims by Curry have been called into question — especially when the Jaguars don’t even have a renovation proposal yet — the Times-Union’s report shows that the team is, at the very least, preparing contingency plans.
“The University of North Florida has had initial contact from the Jaguars, and we understand the team is exploring many options. No decisions from any side have been made, and we look forward to future discussions,” a UNF spokesperson told the Times-Union in a statement.
Similarly, Florida Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin said that the Jaguars “expressed interest in having future conversations about where they would play games during the renovation.”
UNF does not have a football team, but the school’s soccer teams and track and field teams play at Hodges Stadium, a 9,400-seat facility in Jacksonville.
The Gators’ Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is significantly larger with a capacity of 88,548. However, “The Swamp” in Gainesville, Fla. is a more than 70-mile drive from TIAA Bank Field.
On Thursday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s office told Spectrum News 13 that the city’s venues staff hasn’t had any conversations with the Jaguars about the possibility of using Camping World Stadium.
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