Letters: Here's an idea, build new Jaguars stadium somewhere else

Recently, there were two positive opinions expressed for the Jaguars stadium deal: the non-negotiable ban on moving post-construction home games to London and the negotiable idea of giving the owner bonuses based upon playoff success.

It also is also positive to learn of the flexibility both the Jaguars and city negotiators may have about possibly playing games with reduced capacity during construction to reduce dislocation.

Take that good idea to its logical conclusion: Build the new stadium outside the current footprint. The new stadium could (and probably ought to) be built somewhere else in Duuuuvalll for traffic, infrastructure and aesthetic purposes, but the few but loud Downtown zealots will insist it stay there.

Regardless, it need not be built where the current stadium is located. Building it near the current stadium — or elsewhere — guarantees continuity of Jaguars (and Florida/Georgia and Gator Bowl) games. It would be safer than playing games in a construction site and could be built even faster for a lower amount.

Another prerequisite for the stadium negotiations is to greatly increase naming/sponsorship fees. Jacksonville (city/team) is no Dallas (city/Cowboys) so we can't expect the reported $2 billion in naming/sponsorship fees from five major sponsors owner Jerry Jones will receive over 20 years to fund his $1.2 billion stadium. (He also has received tens of millions of dollars from many other minor sponsors.)

Jacksonville, however, must garner much higher fees than what it now woefully receives. Use whatever the final negotiated percentage of city/Jaguar funding to divide those fees.

These negotiating points can make the final stadium the best deal for us taxpayers and the team.

Steven Smith, Jacksonville

No path to victory, now he comes back

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis whipped Florida’s lazy legislative branch into passing a series of ridiculous “anti-woke” laws, started a war with Disney, Florida’s largest employer, encouraged book bans, revised the “resign to run” law and weakened Sunshine Law expense transparency so no one would know where the money went as he mounted a run for president.

DeSantis then abandoned Florida to visit Iowa’s 99 counties, (Iowa? Seriously?) spent millions on private plane transportation and presided over multiple campaign staff revolts. While roving from one Iowa town to another, DeSantis continued to ignore the high cost of home insurance in Florida, weakened gun safety laws and embarrassed Floridians with his lack of empathy, rude behavior and temperamental brittle personality.

Poor tired Ron barely got 20% of the Iowa vote with no pathway to victory in upcoming primaries. What’s the worst thing about this? Embittered, broke, and defeated, DeSantis is coming back to Florida! God knows what he will inflict upon us now.

Marcia King, Fernandina Beach

Advance Democracy? What about free speech?

An article in today's paper — Monday morning — is one of the most frightening, Orwellian I have read in a long time. A group with the unfortunately ironic name, Advance Democracy, is scouring social media for any post that's skeptical of climate change science or climate change policy and essentially demanding media companies suppress those opinions.

No offense to Advance Democracy, but in America, I don't have to believe in science (for the record, I do), or policy about anything, and — I know this is a concept that's difficult for Advance Democracy — in America, I'm free to express my disbelief however I want. And to police social media and demand social media companies (or news organizations) suppress speech is absolutely no different than the government in Iran scouring social media for any post that suggests God doesn't exist. And in Iran and other undemocratic countries, the next logical step to suppressing that disbelief in speech is to arrest offenders. The Gulags in the long-gone Soviet Union were full of doubters and dissenters and people who didn't believe the science of the Marxist dialectic. That didn't work out so hot for anyone.

That the article offered no voice that was concerned about free speech, no ballast to the puritanical demands of Advance Democracy, is pretty shocking. I don't care what someone believes about climate change or God, to tell you the truth. I do believe in free speech.

Mike Disch, Neptune Beach

In the cover of darkness

It was no surprise that the Springfield monument was removed in the early morning hours without notice. The exception of course was the small, vocal group of the mayor’s supporters with historical statuary issues who were somehow notified.

This is the pattern with our mayors here in Jacksonville. At night or in the early morning hours are best if you want to avoid controversy over a questionable and possibly illegal course of action. If alienating half of the city was our mayor’s goal, then I would say she accomplished her mission.

It now appears that we no longer need a City Council as it is clear the mayor has the power to make all decisions needed without any input from them. She evidently has the power to circumvent not only the council but, city permitting requirements, regulations regarding historical monuments and parks, etc... at will.

I wonder when the rest of us can expect our tax contributions to no longer be required. Obviously, private donations will offset any budget shortfall and the mayor has shown she is excellent at obtaining outside funding for any necessary city projects. For example, think of how many roofs she could have replaced with the donated funds used in this latest endeavor. But then of course, historical monument destruction has a much higher priority.

I look forward each morning now with a sense of anticipation to discover what else the mayor might have decided to dig up, destroy, repaint or rename during the night. Hopefully she will be using private funds once again…

Daniel Mead, Jacksonville

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars stadium deal, just build it somewhere else