Will the Jacksonville Jaguars Play at the Daytona International Speedway in the Future? Frank Kelleher Makes Big Claim

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced in 2023 that the TIAA Bank Field would be renovated for $1.4 billion. The project, titled “Stadium of the Future,” is to be completed in 2027. The NFL team needs a temporary home for the break, and the Daytona International Speedway has been mentioned in discussions.

Track President Frank Kelleher has provided an update on the move. On a show with First Coast News, the host asked him where things stand with the Jaguars calling the superspeedway their home. He responded that the track, with its half-a-billion dollar capital injection in 2016, is more than well-equipped to host NFL games and entertain fans.

He said, “We know how to put on big global events. We know how to get fans in. Get them to the restroom, get them to FNB, get them to their seats, and entertain them. We got that down pat. So why not football?” He also bounced around the idea of turning Jaguars games into a weekend-long experience with concerts and college football instead of just a 2-3 hour stint.

Despite all the optimism, there are a few financial hurdles. Setting up a temporary football stadium inside a race track is a tall task. But Kelleher admitted that the ball is in the hands of the Jaguars’ top brass. “If the Jags want to bring it to Daytona, man, we’re still ready to chat,” he concluded.

Did the Jaguars decide to rule out Daytona last year?

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported last year that the Jacksonville Jaguars have ruled out Daytona as a potential home. The team needs a stadium for just one season, as opposed to two, and that makes the World Center of Racing a less intriguing option. The outlet noted that the team’s spokesperson, Lyndsay Rossman, confirmed the rejection.

In further clarification, the team’s announcement about securing funding for the project from the city did not include Daytona as a potential site of relocation. So, where could the Jaguars end up playing? The list has been narrowed down to the Camping World Stadium in Orlando and the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville.

It is inferable from Kelleher’s recent words that the arrow can still turn towards the Daytona International Speedway. An official word can be expected from Jacksonville soon.