---

I'm glad their plans to add a training facility and hotel instead of the former Lot J plan are going to include plans to help revitalize downtown Jacksonville. I've lamented for nearly 30 years about how amazing DTJax could be with the right infusion of investment. Hoping against hope this may be the start of something bigger than the small foothold of restaurants and bars that are staked out there currently.

---

I'm glad their plans to add a training facility and hotel instead of the former Lot J plan are going to include plans to help revitalize downtown Jacksonville. I've lamented for nearly 30 years about how amazing DTJax could be with the right infusion of investment.  Hoping against hope this may be the start of something bigger than the small foothold of restaurants and bars that are staked out there currently.

Still, its the homelessness downtown that stops a lot of people from going down there. As a city we need to deal with that in an effective and humane way.

---

"If you always do what you've always done, You'll always get what you always got"

I'm glad their plans to add a training facility and hotel instead of the former Lot J plan are going to include plans to help revitalize downtown Jacksonville. I've lamented for nearly 30 years about how amazing DTJax could be with the right infusion of investment.  Hoping against hope this may be the start of something bigger than the small foothold of restaurants and bars that are staked out there currently.

Still, its the homelessness downtown that stops a lot of people from going down there. As a city we need to deal with that in an effective and humane way.

It would be an obvious and necessary component to any downtown plan IMO. And there are actually already two different programs in place to mitigate that issue. Anything Khan and the Jags org do would be the third implemented measure. 

Folks also need to realize that while it is too rampant in DTJax, homelessness is an issue in nearly every city center of any size in the US  - and develop a thicker skin about it. It's a reality that can't be neatly swept under the rug, but efforts to mitigate the problem can make an impact.

---

I'm glad their plans to add a training facility and hotel instead of the former Lot J plan are going to include plans to help revitalize downtown Jacksonville. I've lamented for nearly 30 years about how amazing DTJax could be with the right infusion of investment.  Hoping against hope this may be the start of something bigger than the small foothold of restaurants and bars that are staked out there currently.

Still, its the homelessness downtown that stops a lot of people from going down there. As a city we need to deal with that in an effective and humane way.

Has it gotten worse in the past few years?

When I was in Jax, I was downtown a lot and never really noticed it.

---

I'm glad their plans to add a training facility and hotel instead of the former Lot J plan are going to include plans to help revitalize downtown Jacksonville. I've lamented for nearly 30 years about how amazing DTJax could be with the right infusion of investment.  Hoping against hope this may be the start of something bigger than the small foothold of restaurants and bars that are staked out there currently.

Still, its the homelessness downtown that stops a lot of people from going down there. As a city we need to deal with that in an effective and humane way.

This happens in literally every major city. It's just a tired excuse.

---

The Jags planned development will place a luxury hotel with residences  ( 4 seasons - 176 rooms - 25 residences) and a team facility adjacent to the west edge of Met Park, but will not infringe on Met Park. Rather it would help develop Met Park into more of a destination.

5 million to MOSH to become a world class museum

Revitalization of city owned downtown marina to attract boaters to downtown

6 floor new office building 100K sq ft  - cafe and multi use space on grnd flr -  will use 2 floors for Jags offices and related offices

Phase one 321 million cost  - anticipated 200 million in private investment

---

Phase two is a Baptist Health Orthopedic Center

Phase 3 is a stadium plan -   details coming now....

---

Planning for a long term stadium solution began 18 months ago ...

5 stage planning process  -  Currently in phase 2 of the process.

Renovating existing main structure IS an option based on phase one evaluation
SHADED seating is a design element

---

The Jags planned development will place a luxury hotel with residences  ( 4 seasons - 176 rooms - 25 residences) and a team facility adjacent to the west edge of Met Park, but will not infringe on Met Park. Rather it would help develop Met Park into more of a destination.

5 million to MOSH to become a world class museum

Revitalization of city owned downtown marina to attract boaters to downtown

6 floor new office building 100K sq ft  - cafe and multi use space on grnd flr -  will use 2 floors for Jags offices and related offices

Phase one 321 million cost  - anticipated 200 million in private investment

---

Phase two is a Baptist Health Orthopedic Center

Phase 3 is a stadium plan -   details coming now....

---

Planning for a long term stadium solution began 18 months ago ...

5 stage planning process  -  Currently in phase 2 of the process.

Renovating existing main structure IS an option based on phase one evaluation
SHADED seating is a design element

Sounds really good...

---

"If you always do what you've always done, You'll always get what you always got"

A 125K sq ft football performance center planned for the space where outdoor practice fields are 

---

New facility would be a 50/50 build cost split with COJ - City will OWN the facility and enter a long term lease agreement

Team would pay all overrun cost

Team would assume all maintenance and utility costs moving forward (currently COJ pays those for Jags facilities)

---

Urban speaking now:
"I refuse to believe this can not be a destination place."
...

"Our training facility will be the best of the best."

---

Urban speaking now:
"I refuse to believe this can not be a destination place."
...

"Our training facility will be the best of the best."

Sigh.. I don't want to hear this in my head but I do.. and it's so loud.

This is what College football coaches say to try to get 18 year olds to play for him to get big n strong for the NFL.

---

Urban speaking now:
"I refuse to believe this can not be a destination place."
...

"Our training facility will be the best of the best."

Sigh.. I don't want to hear this in my head but I do.. and it's so loud.

This is what College football coaches say to try to get 18 year olds to play for him to get big n strong for the NFL.

so, what should he have said? 

"We could be a destination place, I hope that NFL players will want to play here, our facility should be pretty good..." Meek like that?

---

"If you always do what you've always done, You'll always get what you always got"

https://twitter.com/HaysCarlyon/status/1...33282?s=20

---

https://twitter.com/HaysCarlyon/status/1...33282?s=20

YES... shade, shade and MORE shade. I mean I am old and I hate the freaking heat and sun..

---

"If you always do what you've always done, You'll always get what you always got"

https://twitter.com/CoachUrbanMeyer/stat...42632?s=20

---

Sigh.. I don't want to hear this in my head but I do.. and it's so loud.

This is what College football coaches say to try to get 18 year olds to play for him to get big n strong for the NFL.

so, what should he have said? 

"We could be a destination place, I hope that NFL players will want to play here, our facility should be pretty good..." Meek like that?

I'm just saying... practice facilities isn't even a top 10 consideration for NFL players... but it is for High School kids looking to improve to go to the NFL one day.

---

Urban speaking now:
"I refuse to believe this can not be a destination place."
...

"Our training facility will be the best of the best."

Sigh.. I don't want to hear this in my head but I do.. and it's so loud.

This is what College football coaches say to try to get 18 year olds to play for him to get big n strong for the NFL.

If players know they are going to have great facilities and have every need taken care of, which obviously was not thing of the past, then it could be a determining factor if a player comes here for free agency or leaves in free agency. Of course money will almost always win out but it is good to say you have the very best training facility in the league.

---

Urban speaking now:
"I refuse to believe this can not be a destination place."
...

"Our training facility will be the best of the best."

Sigh.. I don't want to hear this in my head but I do.. and it's so loud.

This is what College football coaches say to try to get 18 year olds to play for him to get big n strong for the NFL.

But Florida is one of the states with an income tax advantage. So every little thing helps when a free agent has options, and can't be sure any particular team will get him a ring.

Athletes seem to like Orlando for some crazy reason as a residence. That could be Jacksonville.

---

Sigh.. I don't want to hear this in my head but I do.. and it's so loud.

This is what College football coaches say to try to get 18 year olds to play for him to get big n strong for the NFL.

But Florida is one of the states with an income tax advantage.   So every little thing helps when a free agent has options, and can't be sure any particular team will get him a ring.

Athletes seem to like Orlando for some crazy reason as a residence.  That could be Jacksonville.

Why would athletes like Orlando?

The traffic is 5 times worse... and they have.. Disney. Yay.

They like Miami Beach.

---

Still, its the homelessness downtown that stops a lot of people from going down there. As a city we need to deal with that in an effective and humane way.

I was living in DC (early 90's) when the DC police marched the prostitutes across the 14th street bridge over the Virginia State Line to make it Virginia's problem.  Charlotte recently adopted a van service to move their homeless to vacant land outside the trendy part of the city.   I'm thinking St Mary's Georgia would be a nice quaint town for our homeless.  I mean, people travel miles and miles to visit St Mary's -- we'd be providing free transportation and everything to help our homeless establish their base in one of the top ranked towns in the US

---