Jacksonville City Council hires consultant for 'stadium of the future' negotiations

Jacksonville City Council agreed Tuesday to hiring own consultant to engage in upcoming Jaguars’ stadium negotiations – which could start as early as August.

Council chose Michael Huyghue, a former Jaguars executive and current NFL consultant, to represent the council’s interests in negotiations regarding stadium renovations. Mayor Donna Deegan is also hiring an outside consultant to advise the city, but Huyghue will report directly to the council.

“I think it's very important that the council have representation,” City Council President Ron Salem said. Salem interviewed three candidates, he said, and brought Huyghue as the primary option to council.

“Some of us here went through the Lot J situation where we did not have representation, and I think because of all the new members on the council, it is extremely important to me to make sure that you have all the information you need,” Salem added.

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The contract approved work for Huyghue up to $150,000. At Huyghue’s hourly rate of $325 per hour, according to the city’s scope of services, he is contracted for up to 11.5 weeks of full time work.

The vote, passed 18-0 with Rory Diamond excused, was one of the first for the new council inaugurated July 1. Prior to the new members taking office, the council expressed skepticism about offering a direct contract without taking open bids for the process. The new council, however, supported Huyghue without criticism.

An open ‘request for proposal’ process, an alternative to the direct contract, could have taken upwards of three to four months to secure a contract, which Salem said would have taken too long given the Jaguars’ desired time frame.

“I understand there may be criticism if we go with a direct contract, I clearly understand that,” Salem said at a June 20 neighborhoods committee meeting, prior to announcing Huyghue as his pick for the project. “But I just want to have somebody onboard as quickly as we can so that the council has the appropriate representation.”

Deegan is still in the process of selecting a consultant and interviewed three firms, her office confirmed Tuesday. She also chose to offer a direct contract as opposed to an open bid and will introduce the negotiators to City Council in August, but she will not need its approval to move forward, spokesman Phil Perry said.

“It’s the Council’s prerogative to hire a consultant to review the deal that my team negotiates with the Jaguars. I support their decision to bring in their own counsel to advise them” Deegan said.

Mike Weinstein, Deegan’s interim chief financial officer, told council he hoped formal meetings with the Jaguars would start by late August.

Who is Michael Huyghue?

Huygue has a long history with Jacksonville and the football industry. He currently operates his own consulting firm and works with the Fritz Pollard Alliance on diversity hiring in the NFL. He also works as a visiting law professor at his alma mater, Cornell University.

His relationship started with the Jaguars in 1994 when he ran operations for the young team. He then went on to be the commissioner for the United Football League.

Huyghue referenced his existing relationships as a consultant with all 32 NFL team owners and the commissioner – who would have to approve any Jaguars’ stadium renovation plans – as benefits for the city consulting position in a finance committee meeting prior to the full vote.

On Tuesday, he also referred to positions working “in capacities against the NFL” through the United Football League that would allow him to reliably work for City Council.

“So while my relationship has been long-standing in the NFL, in many cases, it has been on the opposite side of the table,” Huyghue said at the council meeting. “I have a very good relationship with them. And that gives me an inside seat to be able to understand some of the inner workings that I think I will bring to this position.”

Along with Salem, council members Kevin Carrico, Matt Carlucci and Tyrona Clark-Murray vocally supported Huyghue, saying he had a “fairytale resume.”

“I 100% endorsed this bill, and Mr. Huyghue, if we could all just make a fairytale resume starting from scratch, you would probably just build his and say that that's it,” Carrico said. “He's done a little bit of everything.”

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville City Council hires consultant for stadium negotiations