The venue was first proposed in 2009 as a complete renovation of the aging pavilion tent at Metropolitan Park. After a city council meeting held in January 2010, renovations plans were placed on hold, however the demolition of "Kid Kampus" continued with the space becoming a grassy field by 2011. In early 2015, Shahid Khan, owner of Jaguars, proposed a plan to develop the eastern area of Downtown Jacksonville. Focusing on the Shipyards, the plan sought to develop the space into a commercial, residential and leisure complex. Projected renderings saw the demolition of the pavilion tent and constructing a 9,000 seat outdoor amphitheater. When reviewed by the city council, these plans were denied due to concerns over environmental impact. With the success of the Everbank Field renovations, Khan developed new plans for the Shipyards area, which were ultimately approved by the city. The Jaguars announced plans for additions and renovations to Everbank Field, including the addition of an amphitheater, at their 2015 State of the Franchise address. The $90 million budget for the enhancements was set to be split by the City of Jacksonville and Khan's Iguana Investments. Phase 1 of construction saw a revamp of the US Assure Club with turf of the football field. Phase 2 of the plan saw the addition of an amphitheater and an indoor practice field. Initial design concepts saw the amphitheater as an outdoor, covered venue featuring a mezzanine and balcony; with the practice area being a separate building. Both venues were connected to the stadium and parking areas via covered walkway. Later renderings saw the two spaces as one space, connected via one roof and divided via hangar doors. Construction was set to begin on July 2016 however financial restrictions and permits pushed the groundbreaking back to August 2016. Final costs estimated to be over $40 million. The facility was initially announced to be managed by SMG, Iguana Investments created a sister company, Bold Events, that will operate and promote all events at the amphitheater and stadium. With this partnership, 500 presale tickets will be available for Jaguars season ticket holders. The venue opened on May 27, 2017 with a concert by hometown act, the Tedeschi Trucks Band.
Design
The venue was designed by the architectural firm Populous. First renderings show the amphitheater with a sleek technical design resembling a spaceship. Final design included an indoor tiered setting joined with the flex field. Exterior structure is composed of steel trusses creating the cage façade with PTFE fabric. The fabric roofing provides natural ventilation and daylight and helps create dramatic LED lighting effect. The venue features an 80-foot ceiling, the standard 60'x40' concert stage and a back house building. The amphitheater features a main floor, mezzanine and balcony, similar to the Radio City Music Hall. The main floor seats 3,500 with a general admission area that can add up to 500. The mezzanine and balcony features 1,000 seats each. The main floor also features 228-foot sliding panels on both sides that can open to create an open-air experience.
Competitive analysis
With its 5,500 capacity, it is the second largest concert venue in Jacksonville. Its closest competitor, the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, seats close to 4,000. The manager of the amphitheater, Ryan Murphy, thinks the new downtown amphitheater is a good move for Jacksonville, he feels it will not draw crowds away from the St. Augustine venue. Other amphitheaters in the metro area include:
Coxwell Amphitheater seating 6,000
Seawalk Pavilion seating 3,000
Unity Plaza Amphitheater seating 1,500
Riverfront Amphitheatre seating 350
Jaguars President Mark Lamping states the purpose of the venue was to aid in revitalizing the lackluster downtown area. The venue plans to host 35-40 events per year, with many shows held around the Jaguars home games. Lamping feels this will aid in bringing tourism to the city, while its actual economic impact is unknown.
A part of what we are doing with Daily's Place is making Jaguar home weekends bigger and more special. If there are people who attend Daily's Place who have not had the opportunity to experience Everbank Field, the design of Daily's Place allows people to interact with the stadium as part of their visit. Perhaps through that interaction it will spur some curiosity and maybe lead to a desire to sample Jaguars football.
