Shad Khan’s Jacksonville Shipyards redev plan includes convention center, hotel

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan‘s vision for the Jacksonville Shipyards redevelopment was unveiled Thursday morning, via a news release from the team.

A 490,000-square-foot riverfront convention center (a long-standing local wish list item) and a 350-room hotel will be included on the site, according to the release.

In April 2017, Khan’s Iguana Investments was approved to develop the site, which it is doing in conjunction with the DeBartolo Development Company and Rimrock Devlin Development.

“Today’s proposal represents the first step in delivering the vision we first shared three years ago for the rebirth of downtown Jacksonville,” Khan said.  “The Shipyards is the optimal and obvious site for a new Jacksonville convention center.”

“First, you have the prime riverfront access and the sense of being a true destination that only the Shipyards can offer.  Then, you have the synergies with the existing sports venues plus the anticipated mixed-use development planned for Lot J.  We’re doing big things in Jacksonville and this plan with DeBartolo and Rimrock is our boldest plan to date,” Khan said.

“Our goal at DeBartolo Development is to focus on extraordinary development opportunities that will create a catalytic impact on the cities in which they are located,” said Edward Kobel, president and COO of DeBartolo Development Group.

“We were naturally drawn to this opportunity because of the impact it will have on downtown Jacksonville, and it’s one of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved with in my career. With the development team we have assembled, we have the leadership and resources to make this vision a reality,” Kobel added.

“Jacksonville is our home, and our goal has always been to be involved with, and contribute to, the transformation of downtown Jacksonville into a vibrant city core,” said Micah Linton and Wallace Devlin of Rimrock Devlin Development.

“We are ecstatic to take the first step in making this vision a reality, and believe that our vision for the convention center and hotel will serve as the impetus to spur future development downtown,” the two said.

The proposal solidifies long-standing hopes by Khan and the Lenny Curry administration to revitalize the sports complex area.

In 2017, Khan took Curry and senior aide Sam Mousa on a three-city tour of sports complexes in other areas, as a way to workshop visions.

Earlier this year, Curry said he wanted to bring the NFL Draft to Jacksonville. It is easy to imagine a revitalized sports complex as central to that aspiration.

As all this is happening, the city will begin tearing down the off-ramps to the Hart Bridge. The state will provide $12.5 million to match city money should it be approved in the next budget. Traffic would be routed onto Bay Street, rolling past the sports complex, which will be juiced up considerably should Khan’s proposal and redevelopment plans for the Lot J parking area coalesce as expected.