The wait for opening the rebuilt Metropolitan Park Marina is counting down to the summer when it will once again be a place for boaters to dock while passing through Jacksonville or making trips to events at the sports complex.
The target date for completing the 78-slip marina is the July-August time frame.
The old marina closed in 2023 as part of the bigger development taking place around the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Jacksonville.
City Council member Ken Amaro, who is chair of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission, said the St. Johns River is among the city’s greatest assets and the more public access to it, the better.
“That was an access point for the community as a whole and for our boaters who want to tie up and watch the fireworks or go to the game or something like that,” Amaro said. “So the restoration of that in a more updated manner is going to be fantastic.”
The rebuilt marina with floating concrete docks will still have space for 78 boats. All of the slips will be open to to the general public, according to a development agreement between the city and Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s development firm Iguana Investment Florida.
Construction continues March 25 on the rebuilt Metropolitan Park Marina. that will be near the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Jacksonville, a part of which is shown to the left, and the Asado Life restaurant at right.
The completion of the marina will coincide with the opening this summer of another public amenity on the riverfront. That will be a segment of riverwalk going along the St. Johns River where the Four Seasons is being built and the One Tower Court office building recently opened.
The Asado Life restaurant will join those waterfront development this summer. The restaurant, which draws from the Argentinian style of open-flame cooking, is scheduled to open in August on a site between One Tower Court and the marina.
One Tower Cout: 5 things to know about the Jaguars’ new office space
Four Seaons: Luxury hotel opening set for 2027 after another year of construction
When Metropolitan Park Marina reopens, the longest a boat can rent a slip will be three days without approval by the city parks department. None of the slips will be limited to use by hotel guests or owners of private residences in the Four Seasons development.
The site will have a stop as well for water taxi trips.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Metropolitan Park Marina will reopen in mid-summer in Jacksonville