THE SIDELINES : Jeb Bush Part of NFL Franchise Try

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former White House chief of staff and Jeb Bush, son of President Bush, are part of a group formed to bring an NFL team to Jacksonville, a newspaper reported.

“We’ll be announcing that an ownership group and/or somebody seeking to bring an NFL franchise to Jacksonville is in place,” Dave Clavier, a public relations consultant for the group, told the Florida Times-Union.

The younger Bush, who has served as Dade County Republican chairman and Florida secretary of commerce, is a Miami businessman. The former White House aide is Hamilton Jordan, who served under then-President Jimmy Carter and is commissioner of the Assn. of Tennis Professionals headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach.

At a meeting of Jacksonville business leaders Wednesday, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce Chairman Mark Hulsey said the group represents a major step forward in the city’s efforts to bring pro football to the little-used 80,000-seat Gator Bowl.