Is Daytona Speedway still in hunt to host Jacksonville Jaguar NFL games?

DAYTONA BEACH ― When the news broke in June that the Jacksonville Jaguars could need a temporary home when the NFL team's EverBank Stadium gets renovated a few years from now, Daytona International Speedway was mentioned as one of the potential venues.

Speedway President Frank Kelleher told The Daytona Beach News-Journal at the time that a decision by the Jags was not likely until some time in 2024, but said he would know by the end of this year whether the "World Center of Racing" was a serious contender.

In an interview on Tuesday, Kelleher confirmed, "Daytona International Speedway is still in the game. We're still in the hunt."

Perhaps most encouraging was the fact that Kelleher and NASCAR Chief Financial Officer Greg Motto were invited by Jaguars President Mark Lamping to be his guests when the Jags hosted a home game against the San Francisco 49ers on Nov. 12.

"We had a brief conversation with their ownership as well as a variety of others on the Jags staff," said Kelleher. "We left there with our heads really high that we can deliver the Jags with a world-class experience here at Daytona International Speedway."

The 49ers won the game 34-3.

Other venues the Jags are considering include the University of Florida's football stadium in Gainesville and Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

Lamping confirmed in an email that the Speedway remains one of several contenders.

“As the Jaguars work toward the long-term stadium solution for our home, EverBank Stadium, we remain in contact with multiple venues that could provide facility needs and support during the construction period," he said. "To date, we’ve had several fruitful meetings with the City of Jacksonville regarding the renovation and continue to have clear, open lines of communication as we navigate the negotiation process.”

When might the Speedway host Jags games?

While initial reports about the Jags' search for a temporary home was that it might be for both the 2026 and 2027 seasons, Kelleher said when he and Motto met with team officials, "the rumblings" they kept hearing were that "the temporary nature might indeed only be one year and for the 2027 season."

The reason, said Kelleher, was that the City of Jacksonville wants the makeover of EverBank Stadium to be done "in the least amount of time possible as they don't want Jags fans to have to go anywhere else, which makes a ton of sense."

The Jags and the City of Jacksonville still need to come to an understanding of how extensive the renovation of EverBank Stadium would need to be and how long the NFL team would be displaced. "Whether that's for half a season, one season (or) two seasons, that needs to be decided up in Jacksonville," said Kelleher.

The main thing for NASCAR and the Speedway, he said, is that "we are still in the consideration set. The folks (at the Jags) that we are chatting with are still excited at the thought of calling the World Center of Racing (a temporary) home for the Jacksonville Jaguars."

Could the Speedway be a 'frontrunner'?

Kelleher said "nothing is guaranteed, nothing is locked up," but gave several reasons why he believes Daytona International Speedway has a strong chance of hosting Jags games in the future.

While the University of Florida and Daytona International Speedway are roughly the same distance to Jacksonville, the Speedway could have an edge because of its location at the intersection of interstates 95 and 4. Not only would it be a straight shot down I-95 for fans coming from Duval County, it could create an opportunity for the Jags to draw new fans from Orlando.

"Our location to Jacksonville and ease off of I-95 and I-4, I think make us a front-runner," Kelleher said.

The 'Daytona Rising' factor

Daytona International Speedway underwent a massive makeover of its own a few years ago. The $400 million "Daytona Rising" project completed in 2016 added a vast array of amenities designed to improve the experience for both race fans as well as those attending special events such as the annual Welcome to Rockville music festival.

Those amenities including concession stands and new hospitality lounges and VIP suites on the Speedway's fourth, fifth and sixth levels, could be a big plus, not only for Jags fans who are willing to pay a little extra, but also for the NFL team's corporate sponsors, said Kelleher.

"There are some very high-end options that are currently not available in the Jags stadium so understanding it will be temporary, it's going to be a really, really nice treat for Jags fans to come to this property and experience what we have, from parking, ingress, egress. restrooms, concourse areas for corporate America to set up their displays," said Kelleher. "When you look at our aerial footprint of what we provide and what we offer, it's a very turnkey and unique solution."

Inside advocate?

It also doesn't hurt the Speedway's chances that the Jags have chosen the same general contractor, Barton Malow, that did the Daytona Rising project.

"Barton Malow is very familiar with the inner workings of the World Center of Racing," said Kelleher. "In our conversations with Barton Malow, they know what we have, they know what (the Speedway) is capable of as well as a general working relationship (with NASCAR). There's a lot of comfort there versus an unknown, a different third party. So I think that definitely is a smart strategic alliance."

The Speedway offers flexible seating

If the Jags were to pick the Speedway, the games would be played on the existing grass area between the track's start/finish line and Pit Road. That area is already known as the "ballfield" and previously hosted football games for both Bethune-Cookman University in the 1970s as well as Father Lopez High School back in 1959.

Kelleher said temporary grandstands could be erected both along Pit Road as well as facing both end zones, which could offer prime views for as many as 90,000 fans.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Is Daytona Speedway still in hunt to host Jacksonville Jags NFL games?