The Jaguars are looking for a temporary home starting in 2025, when TIAA Bank Field is scheduled to undergo renovations.
Orlando is one option, but now another potential landing spot has popped up: Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The speedway’s president, Frank Kelleher, invited the team Friday to consider Daytona Beach as its home venue for the two seasons during which renovations in Jacksonville will take place. The speedway is located about 90 miles south of TIAA Bank Field.
“Daytona International Speedway is a world-renowned sports and entertainment venue and hosts a full schedule of events each year,” Kelleher said, via The Daytona Beach News-Journal. “As good neighbors in the Florida sports community, DIS will be speaking with the Jacksonville Jaguars to see if we can assist them with their potential upcoming facility needs around our scheduled events.”
Jaguars president Mark Lamping has mentioned the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium as potential temporary homes. Within the city of Jacksonville, the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium (current capacity 9,400) is the top option.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer discussed the Jaguars’ stadium situation with Lamping recently, and the franchise president noted that the speedway could be a legitimate option.
“They have had football down there,” Lamping told Breer. “The University of Tennessee played at Bristol [Motor Speedway]. And keep in mind, that facility is probably the closest of those three facilities to Jacksonville. From where I live, it’s 60 miles down to Daytona. And they’re used to handling crowds of over 100,000. So the traffic and the parking and all of that, they handle in a major way twice a year with their two NASCAR races. So they’re going to be interesting.”
The Jaguars posted a video on social media last week showing detailed plans for the renovated stadium, which can be seen here.
