EverBank Stadium

• 1. Origins And Construction History

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  Construction began on the 3rd of January 1994 for a new stadium in downtown Jacksonville. The project replaced the aging Gator Bowl Stadium which had stood since 1927. Total construction costs reached US$134 million with $60 million coming directly from the city of Jacksonville. Workers finished the structure in under 20 months and opened it to the public on the 18th of August 1995. The first game played inside the new facility featured the St. Louis Rams as an exhibition opponent. This rapid timeline allowed the venue to host its first professional football match just eight months after groundbreaking.

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• 2. Naming Rights Evolution

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  The facility received its first corporate name in 1997 when Alltel purchased naming rights. Communications company Alltel operated as a wireless carrier before selling most assets to Verizon by 2007. City officials renamed the site EverBank Field in 2010 following approval of a five-year deal with the financial services firm. A ten-year extension followed in 2014 after EverBank faced acquisition by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America. Jaguars management announced a return to the name EverBank Stadium in June 2023 ahead of that season. Temporary rebranding occurred in 2024 as TrEverBank Stadium during a publicity stunt involving quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

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• 3. Major Sporting Events Hosted

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  Super Bowl XXXIX took place at the stadium in 2005 drawing 78,125 spectators for the New England Patriots victory over Philadelphia. Paul McCartney performed Beatles classics including Drive My Car and Hey Jude during the halftime show. The annual Florida-Georgia rivalry game between University of Florida and Georgia Bulldogs has been held here since the early 1990s. Attendance records were set on the 29th of September 2007 when 85,413 fans watched Florida State defeat Alabama. This event became known locally as the River City Showdown. The venue also hosts the Gator Bowl college football game annually.

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• 4. Concerts And Cultural Performances

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  U2 launched their PopMart Tour at this location on the 12th of November 1997 with Third Eye Blind opening. Shania Twain brought her Come On Over Tour to Jacksonville on the 4th of June 1999. NSYNC performed before 42,218 attendees during their PopOdyssey concert in May 2001 generating over $2 million in revenue. The Rolling Stones played a No Filter Tour stop on the 19th of July 2019 earning $10,198,392 from ticket sales. Green Day headlined The Interrupters Hella Mega Tour alongside Fall Out Boy and Weezer in July 2021. Lynyrd Skynyrd closed out their farewell tour with a multi-band event in September 2018.

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• 5. Renovation Projects And Capacity Changes

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  City Council approved $63 million in improvements for EverBank Field in November 2013. Jaguars owner Shahid Khan contributed $20 million toward the renovation costs. New video scoreboards measuring long were installed as part of the project. Construction removed approximately 7,000 seats but added temporary seating options for major events. A second phase of upgrades totaling $90 million included club seating sponsored by US Assure. Phase two also built an amphitheater called Daily's Place which opened in May 2017. Current capacity stands at 67,814 after removal of upper level tarps following the 2017 season.

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• 6. Temporary Relocations And Special Uses

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  The stadium served as home base for the New Orleans Saints during the 2021 NFL season. Hurricane Ida forced the Saints to relocate from Caesars Superdome earlier that year. All Elite Wrestling and Ring of Honor use this facility as headquarters for professional wrestling promotions. Temporary bleachers raise capacity above 84,000 for specific events like the Florida-Georgia game. Blackouts occurred frequently between 2005 and 2009 due to low attendance figures. The city council initially rejected Wayne Weaver's original proposal for insufficient seat count despite concerns about supporting an NFL team.

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