JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Along with showing off new logos and announcing other changes for the Jaguars Tuesday afternoon the team promised that EverBank Field would have the biggest video scoreboards in the NFL by 2014. They didn't mention the cost: nearly $50 million.
The new video display would measure 52 feet high and 348 feet wide.
"We really believe taking EverBank Field to the lead in the National Football League on all stadiums in the country will finally give us something where we are the best," Jaguars President Mark Lamping said Tuesday. "And it will be a distinctive part of this facility that not only befits our fans, but it's something people want to see and it will become a destination."
The city of Jacksonville spent millions in 2005 to upgrade the current video scoreboards to a high-definition display, and any request for more money comes at a time of tight budgets.
The Jaguars are suggesting some creative financing: reinvesting some of the profits the city receives from stadium operations. There is also a big bill pending in the upcoming legislative session that would give Jacksonville a $2 million tax rebate from the state that could be used for stadium improvements.
"It's clearly needed. If you go there and see the board and go to other stadiums and see what they look like and how revenue is generated," city councilman Richard Clark said. "It's not just the Jaguars; it's the Gator Bowl and any other event that we hold there. You are going to have to modernize if you are going to stay competitive in other market places."
Jaguars fans were excited at the project of a bigger, better video scoreboard, but admit it's a lot of money.