Jaguars Consider Daytona International Speedway
Jacksonville, Fla (PSF) - The search for a new home during renovations continues. The Jacksonville Jaguars might play their home games at Daytona International Speedway if they move during the planned repairs to TIAA Bank Field.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal said that representatives from NASCAR, Daytona, and the Jaguars are scheduled to meet soon to examine the prospect of moving games to the renowned racetrack. The meeting would occur in Jacksonville, and Track President Frank Kelleher confirmed he would be there.
Kelleher stated that the France family and the entire Daytona International Speedway personnel are eager to investigate this option. But before they do that, they would need to talk to the organization and determine their requirements.
Via Jaguars Wire
The Jaguars are looking into Daytona as a potential venue. The team's president, Mark Lamping, revealed to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer this week that the team will meet with speedway officials in "the next week or two."
Suppose the team starts the anticipated renovations for a new stadium, a process expected to take two years. In that case, Daytona is the only potential place to play Jaguars games. According to reports, the team has also spoken with representatives from the University of Florida and the city of Orlando about playing at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and Camping World Stadium, respectively.
Daytona International Speedway is approximately 90 miles from downtown Jacksonville and has a seating capacity of 101,500 for racing events. However, Kelleher suggested that football's capability would likely be significantly reduced.
"The number of grandstand seats with good visibility would probably be more in the 45,000 to 50,000 range," he said, even if that figure excludes a handful of VIP suites. Temporary seating may also be built inside the existing framework to accommodate extra spectators.
TIAA Bank Field has a 67,814 capacity and can accommodate 82,000 spectators. Last season, the Jaguars attracted 63,637 spectators on average per home game (excluding the Broncos' Week 8 "home" game in London). Football games have previously taken place in Daytona, including high school games in the 1950s and college football games in the 1970s, in addition to a few other non-racing sports events.
Former track president Joie Chitwood indicated an interest in hosting college football games there once more in 2014.
In exchange for agreeing to a four-year reconstruction schedule, the Jaguars would be permitted to continue hosting home games at TIAA Bank Field. But according to reports, that idea would raise the project's cost by an additional $190 million.
The lease between Jacksonville and the franchise lasts until the 2029 NFL season. At the Spring League Meeting in May 2024, the Jaguars want to present their proposed agreement to the rest of the league after announcing they hope to strike a deal with the city by next March. If approved, stadium building might start as soon as the 2025 season.
