Jacksonville’s incoming finance director says nothing will be off the table in negotiations with the Jacksonville Jaguars over a new stadium – including the suggestion by Eye on Jacksonville that the city give the stadium to the team.
Mike Weinstein is slated to be interim chief financial officer under the new mayor, Donna Deegan, until Oct. 1. After that he will be leading the negotiations with the Jaguars.
Weinstein noted that NFL team owners in other cities own the stadiums. “Nothing will be off the table,” he told Eye.
His selection was one of Deegan’s better picks. Weinstein has been involved in local government for decades.
Weinstein’s career began as office manager for State Attorney Ed Austin. Then he got a law degree and later served as a prosecutor.
He has been a legislator. He ran for mayor himself in 2003. He led the effort to bring the Super Bowl to Jacksonville. He was chief financial officer for mayors Ed Austin, John Delaney and Lenny Curry. He also has been executive director of the Kids Hope Alliance.
His legal and financial experience make him a good choice to negotiate with the Jaguars over how much the taxpayers will spend on the renovations to the stadium.
That number could represent a substantial amount and must be weighed against the benefits.
