By Sylvie McCarthy
Sporting Club Jacksonville is getting a new home. On March 2, Sporting Jax announced that a site in the Town Center area is set to become the permanent home for the club and anchor a transformative mixed-use sporting and entertainment district in North Florida.
This space will bring together professional sports, entertainment, hospitality, residential living and retail into a single, walkable district in North Florida. It will be centrally located and easily accessible to Jacksonville residents.
Sporting Jax is hopeful that the project will generate a substantial long-term economic impact across North Florida by providing construction jobs, permanent operational roles, expanded hospitality and retail employment.
“This is a privately led investment, backed by our own capital and a long-term commitment to doing something meaningful here. This is about investing in Jacksonville in a way that lasts for generations,” said Ricky Caplin, majority owner and chairman of Sporting Jax.
The new district will integrate restaurants, hotels, shopping, entertainment venues and family-friendly gathering spaces. Sporting Jax wants this to be an exciting environment not only on match days, but all year-round.
This project is also largely rooted in community impact. The stadium will not only host professional matches for both the Sporting Jax men’s and women’s teams, but it will also support high school championships, regional youth tournaments, college athletics and more.
“Across the country, we’ve seen that professional soccer thrives when clubs have permanent, purpose-built homes rooted in their communities,” said Justin Papadakis, deputy CEO and chief real estate officer of the United Soccer League (USL).
Sporting Jax men’s season opener is March 7 at the University of North Florida’s Hodges Stadium.