(12-03-2020, 03:13 PM)WYBaugh Wrote: https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2020...velopment/

Quote:The UNF’s Public Opinion Research Lab’s latest “Jax Speaks” poll found 54% either strongly or somewhat opposed to the city spending $233 million in direct costs and loan to fund the Lot J proposal, with 43% strongly or somewhat supportive.

Of the people surveyed who believed having an NFL team is important to the city, 72% supported the Lot J deal, while among those who do not think the team is important to Jacksonville, only 15% support the proposal.

A strong majority of all respondents -- 80% -- said the question should be put to Jacksonville voters in the form of a referendum.

“A massive project like the Lot J plan is bound to have mixed public support, but 37% of that opposition strongly opposes the proposal as it is,” said Dr. Michael Binder, director of the UNF Public Opinion Research Lab. “Jacksonville voters would like to have a say in these issues, particularly when it concerns such a large price tag.”

Of those polled, 33% said having an NFL franchise is very important to Jacksonville and 48% said it was moderately or slightly important. Only 20% said having the Jaguars in Jacksonville was not important at all.

Respondents were also asked whether they support or oppose the city of Jacksonville splitting an estimated $250 million cost of major improvements to TIAA Bank Field with the Jaguars. A large majority -- 62% -- were opposed to this idea, with just 37% supporting the proposal. An even greater majority -- 77% -- opposed building a new stadium for $700 million, with only 21% supported splitting the costs of a new stadium.

Sorry, read at the bottom that this is a poll of 644 voters. Extremely small sample size.

Small maybe, but the question really is does it fall within parameters for being a statistically valid sample? That aside, if this ever goes to a public referendum, then this issue is probably dead. As i may have stated somewhere in a previous post, at least 50% of Jax metro residents don't care about downtown. Similar samples that I did 20 years ago for work bore this out, and it still seems true today. And asking for this in the middle of a pandemic seems myopic at best, but business is business. It would be interesting to see a similar poll if the proposed location was different than Lot J. Another interesting factor would be if a winning team would move any of these numbers. In that case, we are probably doomed.

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