Imagine! When we resume our mystery tours again, we do it with a bang with 2 in one week. Lois read in our local newspaper that the Jacksonville Jaguars’ NFL stadium offers tours during football season. Well, it was still open season for us when she booked our visit. We were in the playoffs but sadly we were ousted from a spot in the Super Bowl the very next day! Tickets are $7 for adults.
Our Jaguars’ EverBank Field sits on 10 acres of waterfront property on the majestic St. Johns River. The field boasts the two largest video boards in any sports arena: both of which are 362 feet wide and 60 feet high. During the tour, we stood right under one of them where we could see that it was really made up of over 3500 small units each of which is independent of all the others. So if one goes bad – it can instantly be replaced by personnel behind the board - and the show goes on! We got to stand next to – but not in – the two pools in the north end of the stadium.
We toured the halls behind the stands, lingered at one end of the field under the goal posts, viewed the players training room, lounged in the owner’s box, and gazed over the wide expanse of the field from the press box.
In May 2017, the concert venue, Daily's Place, was added to the riverside end of the stadium. The site is open-air on both sides but a roof covers the 5500 seats against the elements. We walked through the venue and entered the indoor football practice field. The air-conditioned Flex Field is used for football practice in inclement weather. It was a real WOW when we walked in.
This is a great kid-friendly tour for the whole family. But be aware – it is just about an hour long and requires a bit of walking and standing. Elevators are available throughout for wheelchair access.