JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Two years after Super Bowl XXXIX was held in Jacksonville, ground has finally been broken on the NFL Youth Education Town (YET) -- an NFL project left to the city as part of the NFL's Super Bowl commitment.

In February 2005, there was a dedication for the future facility that was paid for in part by the city and in part by the NFL. But for 23 months the land remained untouched and there were no construction crews in sight.

On Wednesday, Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver and his wife Dolores Weaver, along with councilwoman Pat Lockett-Felder, used gold shovels in the groundbreaking for the YET.

The center was supposed to open two years ago, but Weaver said there's a reason why the project is worth the wait.

"Most communities commit $1 million from the NFL and $1 million from the community," Weaver said. "We wanted to do something extra special in this community. So, we made a goal to raise $2 million. It takes a little longer."

Student Alexis McCoy's love for science is one example of why the YET is being built.

"The other day my teacher was talking about the crust, the mantle and the core," McCoy said.

It's the girl's love for learning that the center will try to make sure McCoy and her classmates can keep up with.

That dream is one step closer to reality. The empty space on the Northside is expected to be a youth center in one year.

"It will be a place, where they can come and do their homework, get tutoring, have a computer lab available to them," said Weaver.

Houston, host city of the 2004 Super Bowl has already completed its YET and is working to build another. Detroit, the site of the 2006 Super Bowl, is still working on completing its YET.