Jaguars Intend to Be in JAX 'A Long Time' amid Stadium Talks, Team President Says

With plans in place for TIAA Bank Field to undergo renovations in the near future, Jacksonville Jaguars president Mark Lamping said Wednesday that the organization is committed to remaining in Jacksonville for years to come.

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Lamping said:

"Now it's time to see if other stakeholders in this community share or embrace the vision of the Jaguars and what we're trying to do, not only with the stadium but with the neighborhood around the stadium. The Jaguars have been here for a long time. It's certainly our intention to be here a long time."

Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union recently noted that the Jaguars are deep in discussions with the city of Jacksonville to extend their lease and renovate their stadium, which would extend their stay in Jacksonville for a significant amount of time.

Lamping also expressed confidence to Howe that a deal is forthcoming that will allow the Jags to stay in the city they have called home since their inception in 1995:

"We're very confident we're going to get a solution here in Jacksonville. We are now ready to engage the community with what we think the stadium solution should be, and at the same time engage the city of Jacksonville in what our partnership is going to look like to help achieve that."

TIAA Bank Field, which was previously known as Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Alltel Stadium and EverBank Field, has been the Jaguars' home venue since their inaugural NFL season as an expansion franchise in 1995.

Although a 28-year-old building is nowhere close to being the oldest stadium in the league, Lamping told Howe that TIAA Bank Field has "reached the end of its useful life" without some major upgrades.

Lamping also indicated that renovations can make the stadium feel like new, but at a much lower cost than building a new stadium.

Provided the renovation plan is approved, one issue the Jags would have to tackle is figuring out where they would play while the renovations occur.

Per Owen Poindexter of Front Office Sports, Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry appeared on radio station 1010XL this month and said the Jaguars would possibly have to play elsewhere in 2025 and 2026.

Curry noted that his goal would be for the Jaguars to play somewhere in Jacksonville, but there isn't another nearby venue that comes anywhere close to TIAA Bank Field's capacity of nearly 70,000.

Negotiations for a new lease and stadium refurbish do come at an advantageous time for the Jaguars since they seem to be on the rise.

Last season, Jacksonville posted a winning record, won the AFC South, reached the playoffs and won a playoff game for the first time since 2017.

With quarterback Trevor Lawrence continuing to improve and come into his own, the Jaguars are positioned to be one of the top teams in the AFC for years to come along with the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.