A.G. Gancarski
Ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Sunday game in London, owner Shad Khan was pessimistic that the market could keep up with the rest of the NFL in local revenue.
Khan described a “50 year curse” when it came down to downtown development.
“This has been like a 50-year objective in Jacksonville to do something downtown,” Khan said Saturday in London. “We are as anxious as anyone to break this curse and get something going.”
Khan left open the possibility for more London games.
“I think we definitely want to extend,” Khan said. “It’s worked great for us and frankly, I can’t imagine not having it – the value that it has added for Jacksonville.”
Indeed, Khan added that “football … there is a limited demand for it.”
“That’s why we’re playing the games here in London — that the community can’t support selling out eight games, so maybe there’s something else we can do there for the hot-dog vendors, the hotel rooms, all the stakeholders who make a living off the game.”
Jacksonville is in the bottom quarter of local markets in terms of revenue, and three competitors currently below them will have new stadiums soon.
Expect more concerts, Khan said. Also, the local hotels need work.
“I get that all the time from executives who come in and leave town,” Khan said. “We want to get a higher hotel than what we have.”
“Right now, the decision-makers, the influencers, want to come to Jacksonville and get the hell out of there. It’s bad for the image. It is bad for business,” Khan said.
Very strong comments, critical of local decision makers overseas.
Khan has made waves at Jaguars London games in the past. Two years ago, he backed players who knelt for the National Anthem, which was the thing to do at the time.
However, he is less critical of some governments than others.
When addressing Chinese suppression of protests in Hong Kong last month, Khan suggested that critics need to “respect the norms” of the Communist Chinese.
27 comments
Pedro
November 3, 2019 at 9:46 am
Anything for business is the way of Shad Khan. While I agree something needs to be done about downtown I do not agree that his businesses should get more corporate welfare from Jacksonville.
Karen
November 3, 2019 at 10:20 am
I came to Jacksonville under Jake Godbold, he had a plan for downtown and every mayor after him has had a plan for downtown. The problem is that each mayor scrapped what the guy did before him then started over again and talked most of the time & ended with little or nothing.
We finally have a mayor who’s getting things done & I don’t care whether Shad Khan is involved or not. Our beautiful river front needs to be developed with something for every everyone.
Seber Newsome III
November 3, 2019 at 10:46 am
It seems to me, that we will have less home games for the Jaguars, as Khan wants more games in London, and that he might be thinking about moving the team, I dont trust Shifty Khan at all. Remember, he supported the players kneeling for the National Anthem!!!!!!
Carrera CHopS
November 3, 2019 at 11:22 am
Seber Newsome III your worried about free speech?? lol… shows what type of people live in Jacksonville …cowards like you are why we have a coward president in office that disrespects our service members everday!!.. but you don’t speak of that!!…anyway Mr. Khan said it best the MOB IN CHICAGO HAS NOTHING ON THESE DUVAL CROOKS…. we have a successful billionaire in a position to invest in this Shi* hole downtown.. and all these local bums want to do is complain…I notice something, the ones complaining the most, are the ones not doing business downtown!!
John
November 3, 2019 at 5:47 pm
So what he supported kneel… shit he’s kneeling for downtown too… dumb ass…
Rickie
November 4, 2019 at 2:54 am
I support the players kneeling! You people don’t get it, I can guarantee your not black. Blacks stand for a flag that wasn’t meant us, nor a song during the observance of the flag. We take a knee for injustice and you white act just like your ancestors. Get a grip and know the true meaning of the knee. Social equality, economic equality, and simple respect amongst other thing is what black people are still striving to maintain is this racist country. But we scream home of the free… man please
Seber Newsome III
November 5, 2019 at 10:51 am
If you do not love or like America, go back to Africa. You are FREE to leave any time you want!! But, pay back the cost of the boat ride, please.
Carrera CHopS
November 6, 2019 at 9:49 am
Seber Newsome III is the Typical white trash THATS IN DUVAL… your mad at everyone for you being broke..you wasted your 250 year head start in this country, all the stealing and lying your family did wasted, you have nothing but a laptop to complain on, your mad because your whole family is a joke, did’nt work, did’nt get an education. But you did complain a lot and do DRUGS AND more drugs!!…IM with Khan can’t wait to get all you rednecks back to the forest of clay county you people are worthless!! Go back to Europe you have contributed anything to this land!! right along with your coward president who has never served or contributed shit to this country.Him and his treasonous family a should be put on the LINE!!
Seber Newsome III
November 6, 2019 at 10:38 am
Carrera Chops, take a boat ride back to Africa, if that is where your from. You probably have no idea where. your from, because you have no idea whom your daddy is lol. So, keep on living on welfare and taking from the government. That is all you do is take, you do nothing good for the country, city or state. You are a welfare baby.
Dee
November 8, 2019 at 1:53 pm
You sound just like a tipical good ol boy of Jville. It’s a NEW age so why don’t you and your racist views leave!! Kneeling was disrespect to military dummy!!
Seber Newsome
November 9, 2019 at 9:38 am
Dee, why disrespect the military , who put their lives on the line to protect us. You are a dummy. You do realize that we have a navy in Jacksonville, right??? Dee, do you disrespect the military???
Jdog
November 9, 2019 at 10:45 am
That is the most ignoramous response I’ve ever heard.
guess my race
November 5, 2019 at 6:38 pm
Rickie,
Become part of the solution not part of the problem. There are social injustices here, I agree, but disrespecting the entire country and the “PRINCIPLES OF FREEDON FOR ALL” will not solve them. every country has the same issues. Most third world countries just commit genocide, lucky you don’t face that. You complain about respect, well I am disrespected every time someone “takes a knee” against something I spent a lifetime defending. Don’t I deserve the same respect you demand, or are you just hypocritical?
Carrera CHopS
November 6, 2019 at 10:22 am
@guess my race,
You earned the right to complain and for others to protest anyway they choose.. you don’t pick and choose freedoms of speech!! you sound like trump!! I’m Veteran and I don’t care what others do with there rights.. ITS THERE RIGHT! funny your not complaining about KLANs men BURNING flags and trump siding with our forever foe Russia, disrespecting “OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY” THAT OK WITH YOU RIGHT??… funny how a Knee hurts you but those of the latter don’t SIR!! ……countries full of “PICK CHOOSE PATRIOTS”
Carrera CHopS
November 6, 2019 at 10:46 am
*ITS THIER RIGHT* @guessmy race
Carrera CHopS
November 3, 2019 at 11:26 am
Mr. Khan said it best the MOB IN CHICAGO HAS NOTHING ON THESE DUVAL CROOKS…. we have a successful billionaire in a position to invest in this Shi* hole downtown.. and all these local bums want to do is complain…I notice something, the ones complaining the most, are the ones not doing business downtown!!
Joe Bacon
November 3, 2019 at 11:34 am
I love his unapologetic responses of the bullshit going on in J-ville.
I have said for over 20years that we need to stop electing the same type of bullshit mayor’s that are scared to go against the biggest church in downtown Jacksonville that are able to stop almost all new growth, including “The Landing”. What a disappointment 😡 that is going to be. It should have been a tourist attraction like Disney Worlds boardwalk and maybe add a water feature.
SKhah is the only one to have a clear vision of what really needs to happen. Jaguars have a beautiful stadium that might be dust in 10 years if crap doesn’t change.
Frankie M.
November 3, 2019 at 2:27 pm
Talk is cheap. Shad is just as guilty as anybody else. He’s taken public dollars for swimming pools, scoreboards, and amphitheatres. Take some initiative instead of flapping your gums. FBC is selling land for pennies on the dollar. Scoop that shit up on the cheap, bulldoze it, & build Shadland complete with fancy hotels. After all it’s never been easier here.
Seber Newsome III
November 3, 2019 at 7:07 pm
Carrera Chops, you are an ignorant fool. President Trump respects and honors the military, unlike the weak kneed Obama, who was a disgrace. Shad Khan is a disgrace too. He thinks he owns Jacksonville, he does not. He will move the Jaguars to London , the handwriting is on the wall. The sooner he is gone the better. He can then go to London and kneel all he wants.
Seber Newsome III
November 5, 2019 at 1:27 pm
I dont trust shady shifty khan He is positioning to move the Jaguars to London. Actually I wish he would and take his politics with him. He thinks he owns Jacksonville and is demanding this and that. Who does he think he is? Just another billionaire thinking he owns everyone and everything. Go back to Pakistan!!
Jdog
November 9, 2019 at 10:47 am
Ignorant.
Carrera CHopS
November 6, 2019 at 10:08 am
Bruce Hamilton 😂😂😂 cowards like you and trump play “that I would have served” BUT”(PLACE EXCUSE HERE)…bullshit”!!…… you never served anything but yourself!!… I’ve served 23 years in Marines and other government departments.. I would never “ok” a coward like trump to talk about a POW like he did to Mr. Mcain!!.. but its ok with you if he disrespects GOLD STAR KIA vets parents because he disagrees with them!! mainly because there Muslim. Service to this country has no color or religion you FOOL. REAL AMERICANS WOULD STAND UP TO A BONE SPUR COWARD…. YOU SIR AND YOU PRESIDENT ARE TRUE COWARDS!!
Carrera CHopS
November 6, 2019 at 10:53 am
Seber Newsome III I must have hit a nerve or what I commented earlier was all TRUE!!…BECAUSE your just BABBLING nonsense now!😂😂😂😂😂
Jdog
November 9, 2019 at 10:49 am
Jax is good. I still see segregation. I think the locals want to keep it that way. What’s your flavor?
Seber Newsome III
November 10, 2019 at 12:06 pm
Most ignorant response I have seen, Jdog is a dummy!
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