EverBank Field
Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL ) (since 1995)
- Gator Bowl ( NCAA) (since 1996)
- Super Bowl XXXIX (NFL ) (2005 )
The EverBank Field (Formerly Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and Alltel Stadium ) is a football stadium in the U.S. city of Jacksonville, Florida. It mainly serves as a venue for the Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL), but there are college football games like the Gator Bowl instead.
The stadium replaced the Gator Bowl Stadium, which stood at the same place. For special games, such as the Super Bowl, additional bleachers can be set up so as to increase the capacity to over 84,000 spectators.
Construction
The EverBank Field is located in the East Side neighborhood of Jacksonville, where in 1928 the first permantente Football stadium of the city was built. The Fairfield Stadium in 1948 expanded and renamed Stadium in Gator Bowl.
The current stadium was built with the help of some parts of the historic Gator Bowl Stadium, which came from an extension of 1982. Construction began on 3 January 1994 and the new stadium was opened with a game against the St. Louis Rams on August 18, 1995.
Planning
In January 1993, negotiations between the city and the missions of the University of Florida and University of Georgia about the college football game of the two universities, which took place in Jacksonville since 1933 began. The Florida Citrus Bowl offered at this time a large sum to bring the game to Orlando ( Florida).
In response, suggested Ed Austin, former mayor of Jacksonville, before a renovation of the Gator Bowl stadium. Both universities had previously expressed concern about the state of the old stadium and a renovation was viewed as a key to convince them to remain in Jacksonville. On March 23, a new five-year contract was finally signed in May and $ 49 million for a renovation of the Gator Bowl Stadium were provided by the City Council.
NFL expansion
Shortly thereafter, investors wanted to bring a new National Football League team to Jacksonville and called for further U.S. $ 30 million for the renovation of the stadium from the city to make it more attractive for a professional team. After the first failed an agreement before the City Council, the negotiations were later successfully so that a total of 121 million USD were provided.
At the end proved to be the extended bond and rehabilitation program as successful as Jacksonville was awarded on 30 November 1993 with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the 30th franchise of the NFL.