As the Mayor's Office and City Council consider the Jacksonville Jaguars' stadium renovation plans, a new nonprofit organization plans to help host additional sporting events on the First Coast, including basketball It could also include the return of the NCAA Tournament.
The Jacksonville Sports Foundation's wish list, which was officially launched Wednesday, includes international soccer games and college conference tournaments.
The new 501(c)(3) nonprofit says its mission is to “harness the power of sports to unite people and advance the city's profile as Florida's Championship City.”
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“The foundation was created because when we looked at the NCAA Championships and tried to decide which championships to bid on, we realized there was no central organization that could address this from a variety of areas. '' said Michael Corrigan. , president of Visit Jacksonville, the city's tourism and tourism agency.
In addition to Mr. Corrigan, the foundation's leadership includes Mark Bennett, president of Bank of America Jacksonville; his Debbie Buckland of Pinnacle Financial Partners; Kevin Hyde is a former City Council member with the law firm Foley & Lardner. Mike Muldoon, former partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mayor Donna Deegan welcomed the foundation's launch on Wednesday.
“This will be a huge step forward for sports in our city,” she said.
Is it a big deal about the NCAA returning to Jacksonville?
City Council President Ron Salem said the launch of the foundation is a logical next step in the city's strategy to attract athletics, following $1.5 million approved in January toward this goal. .
“From the beginning, my vision for that fund was to create a nonprofit organization that would attract sporting events to Jacksonville. I am very excited to work with the Jacksonville Sports Foundation to fully accomplish that goal.” I'm very pleased,” Salem said. He said.
Deegan said sports in Jacksonville generated an estimated economic impact of more than $178 million in 2023, a figure that includes everything from the Florida-Georgia football weekend to the Bob Hayes Invitational Track and Field Championships to the U.S. Taekwondo Championships. events are included.
Corrigan said the foundation's mission is to connect Jacksonville with future event organizers.
“The sports world is fundamentally driven by attending conferences and tournaments and bringing dignitaries into town to showcase their communities,” Corrigan said. “That's what the Foundation will do. That's the role the Foundation will play. The Foundation will work with the city's sports and entertainment department and Visit Jacksonville to accomplish that goal.”
One of the biggest prizes will be the return of the NCAA Tournament for men's basketball. VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena hosted six-game sets of first and second rounds in 2006, 2010, 2015 and 2019.
Corrigan said the city is waiting to hear from the NCAA about its plans to attract basketball. The NCAA typically names basketball host cities in a single announcement covering a multi-year block of four to five seasons.
NCAA basketball venues are closed until 2026, and the 2026-27 tournament will be Jacksonville's first open window.
Corrigan said the city has submitted bids to 14 NCAA championships spanning both Division I and Division II sports. That list includes the Division II Festival, where in one week he packaged championships in six sports in one place.
The next Division II festival is scheduled for May 19-25 in Orlando and surrounding suburbs and will feature softball, women's lacrosse, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, and more.
The city previously estimated the economic impact of NCAA Tournament basketball at about $5 million to $7 million. It's unclear how much inflation is likely to change those numbers for the tournament currently being held in Jacksonville.
“From Archery to Zumba”
Corrigan said the foundation is interested in attracting both large and small athletics events “from archery to Zumba” to venues from Everbank Stadium to JP Small Park on Myrtle Avenue. Mentioned.
This could also point to more events, such as July's Stateside Cup soccer exhibition against English Premier League clubs West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Everbank Stadium. .
In Jacksonville, the stadium hosted multiple soccer games in the 2010s, including the U.S. men's and women's national teams and clubs from Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, and Mexico. But after visits by American men in 2012, 2014 and 2016, and American women in 2013, 2018 and 2019, the city remained hidden from outsiders.
![Alex Morgan poses for a photo with a fan after the U.S. women's national soccer team practice at Everbank Field on Friday, February 8, 2013 in Jacksonville, Florida. The practice was open to the public and hundreds of fans were able to see the team and get an up-close look at autographs after practice. [Bob Mack/Florida Times-Union]](https://www.jacksonville.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/05/10/NFTU/73639764007-spt-14-us-women-soccer-0.jpg?width=660&height=625&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
The foundation's formal bid list will also include USA Gymnastics, Corrigan said. Jacksonville previously hosted the USA Gymnastics National Championships in June 1985.
Corrigan expressed confidence that the foundation and similar but separate local organizations, such as the city's Sports and Entertainment Department, can avoid duplicating operations.
“There are other organizations in town that can run events, such as the sports and entertainment department,” he said. “Our goal at the foundation is to bring these events to the city to generate interest and then close deals.”
Corrigan said the foundation is seeking corporate partners and volunteers. Currently, Visit Jacksonville is operating the foundation until staff arrive.
Other upcoming events already on the city's schedule include the AAU Track and Field Primary Nationals and Club Championships to be held at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium from July 7-13, and the Tim The Constellation Furyk & Friends PGA Tour Champions Golf Tournament at Quanah Country Club, and the Super Girl Surf Pro surfing event at Seawalk Pavilion at Jacksonville Beach in November.
