It was in August 1995 that the Jacksonville Jaguars played their first game at their new stadium. This day also marked the first time in sports history that an expansion team played its first home game at a new stadium during its first season. The home of the Jaguars also made history as the fastest stadium built lasting approximately 20 months compared to other stadiums in the NFL.
The stadium site was the site of the old Gator Bowl and in order for it to be built, the Gator Bowl had to be demolished. And in such a short time a new stadium emerged. In addition, the new stadium quickly became the best stadium in the country. The stadium was named Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and hosted the largest sporting event in the world for one day: Super Bowl XXXIX.
To ensure that Jacksonville would have the best NFL venue, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium underwent a remodel that cost more than $ 63 million. Renovation work included the addition of the Group Terrace suit, Bud Zone, Pation, 20 new escalators, four elevators, perimeter fencing, renovated club rooms and suites, and state-of-the-art markers.
The Jacksonville Jaguars practice fields, adjacent to the stadium, have now been converted into an entertainment area called Pepsi Plaza. During game days, this area includes a corporate hospitality area, back door cabanas and houses interactive games, as well as a stage for pre and post game entertainment.
In 1997, the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium was finally renamed Alltel Stadium after Alltel bought the rights to the name for ten years. When the contract reached expired in 2007, he reverted to his old name. The stadium is known for the two Crown Royal Touchdown Clubs located on both sides. Its design is quite unique as the club’s 10,000 seats and Crown Royal Touchdown Clubs are located in the center of the field and are not spread out horizontally like other stadiums. In total, 75 percent of the seats in this stadium are located on the side, while 25 percent are located behind the end zones.
The Jacksonville Municipal Stadium actually seats 67,000 seats, but additional seats were added to expand the capacity to 82,000 during major games like the Florida-Georgia game and Super Bowl XXXIX. However, recently, blackouts were common at the stadium, prompting city officials to cover some sections of the stadium.
Today, the Jacksonville Municipal Stadium is where the Jaguars games are played. This is where the Jaguars show what they are like as a team. This is Jacksonville’s pride and even if the Jaguars don’t perform as they did during their best season, they are sure the stadium will be filled with their supporters who never waver and fans who look forward to seeing them perform at their best with every game they bring. to his hometown.
