Card Frontiers: First Union Offers Jacksonville Jaguar Fans Smart Cards

Reloadable smart cards are now available to Jacksonville Jaguar fans.

First Union Corp. introduced a disposable card system to the stadium and its patrons last year. This year, season ticket holders received a reloadable card with a computer chip on it. The cards were not preloaded with cash, but consumers can load them with as much as $100 at special terminals in the stadium.

The 25 terminals, manufactured by Diebold Inc., accept ATM, debit, and credit cards.

Fans can use the cards to buy items like soft drinks, hot dogs, and souvenirs at concession stands in the stadium.

As an incentive to use the cards, First Union is offering fans a $1 discount on all permanent concession purchases of $10 or more for both home preseason games.

Although disposable cards will no longer be available for purchase, fans who sit in a particular section of the stadium where the sun makes it especially steamy in the afternoons, received a bonus $110 disposable card in their season ticket package as an incentive to buy those seats, said Ken Darby, a First Union spokesman.

Additional reloadable cards can be purchased for $5.

Mr. Darby said the system proved popular with fans last year. Between 10% and 15% of all transactions conducted at the stadium were smart card- based.

He said the bank expects to surpass those numbers this season.

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