Mike Bianchi: Luring Jaguars to Orlando would be big for fans and sports tourism

ORLANDO, Fla.

Orlando, we have the ball on the goal line.

Its fourth-and-1.

Lets go for it.

Lets get this win.

A huge win.

As we know, the Jacksonville Jaguars are looking for a temporary home for the 2027 NFL season while their stadium in Jacksonville undergoes major renovations.

Theyve narrowed their choices to Gainesville or Orlando and are set to make a decision in the next 30 to 45 days, followed by a vote of the other NFL owners at the leagues spring meetings in May.

Nothing against my hometown of Gainesville or my alma mater the University of Florida but this should be a no-brainer.

Orlando is the 15th-ranked TV market in the country and is the biggest metro area in the United States without an NFL team.

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And after Camping World Stadium undergoes its own $400 million in renovations, we will have a nice stadium that the Jaguars can temporarily call their own.

In Gainesville, of course, The Swamp already has a primary tenant the Gators who would obviously take priority over the Jags.

Still, to Orlandos credit, were not just assuming its a done deal.

Our leaders are staying aggressive.

They made a big play earlier this week when a county committee signed off on $10 million from the tourist development tax (TDT) sports incentive fund to help lure the Jaguars for an eight-game home schedule in 2027.

The County Commission still has to vote on approving the funds, but its becoming increasingly clear that local public officials have realized that sports are not only important to our quality of life but they also help boost our main business the hospitality and tourism industry.

Why do you think the city and the county made such a big deal and held multiple media conferences last year to trumpet the news that the Sports Business Journal had named Orlando as Americas Best Sports Business City for attracting and hosting events? Why do you think the county gave $90 million in TDT money to UCF to improve its athletic facilities? Yes, Orlando is the undisputed champion of theme-park tourism with about 75 million visitors a year coming here.

But lets not forget that sports tourism is a multi-billion-dollar industry.

According to the Sports Events and Tourism Association, the total economic impact of sports tourism in the United States was $128 billion in 2023 and growing.

Just look at Las Vegas.

That city built its brand on casinos and entertainment.

But in the last decade, it has transformed itself into one of the biggest sports cities in America, luring the NFLs Raiders, the NHLs Golden Knights and soon Major League Baseballs Athletics.

Since the Raiders arrived in 2020, Allegiant Stadium in Vegas has become a magnet for massive events, including the Super Bowl and the College Football National Championship Game (in 2027).

UNLVs Center for Business and Economic Research did a research study in 2023 and found sports tourism generated $1.845 billion in economic activity from out-of-town visitors during the 2022 fiscal year alone.

USA Today cited the study last year when writing a story about how Las Vegas, which used to simply be known as the gambling capital of America, is now billing itself as the Sports Capital of the World.

Wrote USA Today: UNLVs Center for Business and Economic Research found the citys major sports teams have boosted the economy by drawing in more visitors and creating new valuable jobs in sports education and other sports-related sectors.

While its not necessarily helping diversify Nevadas tourism-dependent economy, UNLVs Center for Business and Economic Research director Andrew Woods said it has helped develop that sector.

Its clear to us that its been good for the economy, Woods said.

We are still dependent on leisure and hospitalitys success, but (sports) continues to make leisure and hospitality successful.

Translation: Cities that embrace sports whether through hosting major events, building venues or attracting professional franchises can reap massive economic benefits.

That is why I cant quite comprehend why so many people get upset when it is proposed that we spend tourist tax money (money generated by taxing tourists, not local citizens) to lure sports teams and events.

Who will ever forget the passionate objections two decades ago when the Orange County Commission voted to use TDT money to fund a new arena for the Magic (and for the community).

Is there any doubt that Kia Center has been a smashing success? According to city figures, the arena draws more than 1 million guests per year to 230-plus events, generating more than 450,000 hotel nights.

Since Kia Center opened its doors 15 years ago, there have been more than 3,000 events, more than 5 million hotel stays and more than 4,000 jobs created.

I shudder to think what Orlando would be like if we didnt have the Magic and Orlando City/Pride; or if we didnt have a decent arena and football stadium to host bowl games, concerts, etc.

Wed be Birmingham with a couple of theme parks on the outskirts of town.

Still, though, the ongoing narrative when Kia Center was being built is the same narrative being used today when there is talk of using public money to help build a professional sports venue: If the billionaire owners want a new arena/stadium, let them build it themselves! This response sounds good on the surface, but the reality is that like or not billionaire owners get to decide where they have their teams and in what cities they want to do business.

And if you want their business, you have to incentivize them.

Personally, I think its a good thing to have billionaires in our community.

They build things.

They create jobs.

They donate to charities.

I love that the DeVos family has a stake in our city just like I think it would be a boon for Orlando to have Jags owner Shad Kahn and other billionaire NFL owners in our midst for an entire football season in 2027.

This isnt just about hosting the Jaguars for a few months; its about showing sports teams, sports leagues and sports events that Orlando is more much more than just Disney, Universal and a world-class convention center.

Bringing the Jaguars to Orlando even temporarily puts our city even more squarely on the radar of the NFL and, yes, Major League Baseball.

Could this lead to Orlando being taken more seriously in the conversation for future neutral-site NFL games or as a landing spot for the potential relocation of the Tampa Bay Rays? I think so.

Which is why we need to go for it and get this win; a huge win not just for sports fans, but for the tourism and hospitality industry as well.

The biggest moments in sports come down to execution.

Orlando, were on the goal line.

Its fourth-and-1.

Lets punch it in..

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