Mike Weinstein, the city’s designated representative on the Jaguars stadium renovation, told the Duval County Finance Committee on Dec. 2 that the project is progressing and that the team will cover cost overruns under the lease. "It's right now, it's a little bit over budget," Weinstein said, but he added the calendar still supports an opening for the start of the season on Aug. 28.

Weinstein said Gilbane is acting as the owner's representative on site and public-works staff are closely involved in approvals and inspections. He told the committee the parties review the budget almost monthly and that external factors such as tariffs and permitting can affect purchase timing and cost. "If the city does anything to basically cause a delay or require something to be implemented that wasn't in the original design, then we could be held accountable to an overrun," he said.

The presentation included financial context: Weinstein said the overall renovation program is a roughly $775,000,000 project and estimated the funding split has shifted from about 55% city / 45% Jaguars during planning toward roughly a 50/50 distribution once overruns and final reconciliations are factored. He described the practical division of responsibilities — the Jaguars pay labor, the city purchases certain materials — and said the city benefits from timing on purchases because some of its funds remain in interest-bearing accounts longer during the procurement cycle.

Committee members asked whether particular changes could trigger city liability and whether the city's current capital-improvement-program (CIP) obligations for the project would need to grow this fiscal year. Weinstein said the city would be responsible for changes that are not in the original design or that the city causes by delaying permitting, and that CIP timing (not necessarily total dollars) has already been adjusted: the initial CIP shown as $150 million was increased during the cycle to obligate purchases earlier but the administration does not expect a change to the total program cap at this time.

Weinstein also addressed small- and emerging-business participation, saying percentages may look low now because much of the work remaining is interior trades and finishes; when those trades begin, the project team expects to meet or exceed JSEB participation targets.

The briefing closed with Weinstein offering quarterly updates to finance and confirming there were no critical unresolved issues at this point.

The committee did not take formal action on the stadium presentation; it moved on to other agenda items.