I do know that what I’m about to say isn’t surprising. This matter occurs in each metropolis that builds knowledgeable sports activities venue at the moment. Nevertheless it nonetheless bothers me every time I learn an article or opinion piece from an individual/group who has a predetermined agenda. As in, somebody, or some group who claims to assist a brand new Area/Ballpark/Stadium, solely to search out out that the individual or group is paid instantly or not directly by the workforce needing the brand new venue. We’ve got seen this occur in so many cities.
In the present day, I noticed am opinion piece that declared how nice the brand new Jacksonville Jaguars proposal could be for town and state of Florida. David Miller said within the Florida Occasions-Union that this deal would, in actual fact, be a “catalyst” for “vital and lasting advantages to our group”. Miller goes on to say that this plan would additionally “revitalize” the stadium, be a “landmark funding” for town, is “important” to addressing the “most urgent points” confronted by residents. What can this proposal not do, precisely? Miller factors out in direction of the top of his love letter that he’s only a “enterprise chief and group advocate” who simply needs extra “group spirit”. He indicators off because the founding father of a neighborhood insurance coverage firm.
If you’re a traditional individual, you’d learn this and be beneath the idea that so-called enterprise leaders of town had been additionally supporting the Jaguars deal. Besides, David Miller can also be somebody who’s linked to the JAX Chamber. The JAX Chamber describes itself as a “enterprise group representing…companies serving Northeast Florida.” Particularly, the Chamber helps the enterprise “members to make connections, develop their companies and prosper in our group”.
You in all probability marvel why this issues. It issues as a result of the group, JAX Chamber, is and has been placing on a constant PR tour for the brand new Jaguars plan. Final month, the group introduced that they deliberate to foyer Metropolis Council members to simply accept the $1.4 billion renovation proposal as a result of the group believes that it was “an extremely necessary deal” for town. This story at JaxToday.org additionally mentions that this assist by the JAX Chamber comes proper after a neighborhood activist group had lately come out in opposition to the Jaguars proposal. I learn this final assertion as if the writer had been implying that the JAX Chamber was equal to some common activist group.
Besides, they aren’t some common group. The Jaguars give them cash. Probably, a number of it. You will discover the Jaguars overtly speaking about their assist for the JAX Chamber on their workforce web site. Humorous, the JAX Chamber additionally mentions their assist of the Jaguars on their web site. How linked are the Jaguars to the JAX Chamber? The workforce itself is billed as a “member” of the Chamber. The JAX Chamber has a Jacksonville Jaguars Senior Vice President on their present Board of Administrators. The JAX Chamber has the Jaguars President, COO, SVP, and Chief Group Affect Officer as “trustee members”. A number of years in the past, the Jaguars President, Mark Lamping, was billed as an “At Massive” member of the Board of Administrators.
Again to David Miller. Humorous factor is that I can’t discover David Miller on the JAX Chamber web site in any respect. But, there are tons of articles that embody David Miller being part of the JAX Chamber. Florida Politics wrote that Miller was on the Board of Administrators at JAX Chamber in 2017. One charity claims he has held a “management place” on the JAX Chamber. First Coast Information put out a narrative on a JAX Chamber listening occasion that concerned…David Miller. The Florida Occasions-Union revealed an article about one other JAX Chamber occasion that additionally concerned David Miller.
See a sample? Anyway, he clearly works for or with the chamber in some capability. Even should you nonetheless consider that the Jaguars usually are not telling this group what to do, town certainly might. The JAX Chamber is actually paid to assist town. The town’s Workplace of Sports activities & Leisure wanted assist bringing sports activities occasions to the realm a number of years in the past. The town partnered with three teams: JaxSports Council, Go to Jacksonville & JAX Chamber.
Perhaps you need some precise connection between the proprietor of the Jaguars and the group? In Jacksonville, a challenge known as “Bay Avenue Innovation Hall” has been making an attempt to get off the bottom for nearly two years. Nevertheless it continues to sputter as a result of fraud and mismanagement. After Florida Energy & Mild’s (“FLP”) failed privatization effort in 2022, the native media discovered spreadsheets from FLP displaying how they gave $50,000 for the innovation hall challenge. The media additionally discovered spreadsheets displaying that Mayor Lenny Curry, JAX Chamber CEO Daniel Davis and Jaguars proprietor Shad Khan had been all deemed to be the “major drivers” of this innovation hall challenge.
How on earth might this group count on to exist if it didn’t assist the Jaguars proposal?
