Sporting Jax Announces Plans for New Stadium and Mixed-Use Development

The soccer club plans to build a 15,000-seat stadium and 500,000 square feet of retail, dining, and residential space near St. Johns Town Center.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Sporting Club Jacksonville has announced plans to build a new soccer-specific stadium and mixed-use development on 364 acres near the St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida. The privately-financed project will include a 15,000-seat stadium as well as 500,000 square feet of restaurants, retail, hotel, and residential space. The team says the development will create jobs, generate tourism, and tap into the region's strong soccer culture.

Why it matters

The new Sporting Jax stadium and development represents a major investment in Jacksonville's sports and entertainment infrastructure, building on the city's growing reputation as a hub for soccer at the youth, collegiate, and professional levels. The project aims to create a year-round destination that will drive economic activity and cement Jacksonville's status as a regional sports and tourism destination.

The details

Sporting Jax plans to purchase 364 acres between Town Center Parkway, St. Johns Bluff Road, and the University of North Florida to build the new stadium and mixed-use development. The stadium will have a capacity of 15,000 and the overall project will feature 500,000 square feet of restaurants, retail, hotel, and residential space. The team says it will file applications with the Army Corps of Engineers and St. Johns Water Management District this month to begin the planning and permitting process.

  • Sporting Jax plans to have the stadium operational by 2028.
  • The Sporting Jax women's team is currently leading the Gainbridge Super League two-thirds of the way through their inaugural season.

The players

Sporting Club Jacksonville

The professional soccer club that announced plans to build a new stadium and mixed-use development in Jacksonville.

Ricky Caplan

The majority owner of Sporting Jax who says the project will be privately financed.

Michael McNaughton

The president of Sporting Jax Development Co., the club's real estate venture overseeing the project.

Fred Taylor

A minority owner of Sporting Jax who believes Jacksonville will support a winning team.

Stacy Balaam

The head coach of the Sporting Jax women's team, who says the new stadium will build fan engagement and create memories for the club and community.

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What they’re saying

“We aspire for the site to be active 365 days a year, not just on match days. It will create jobs immediately through construction; generate permanent operational roles over time; expand hospitality and retail employment; and attract regional and national events that bring sustained tourism to North Florida.”

— Ricky Caplan, Majority Owner, Sporting Jax (jaxtoday.org)

“We felt as though the Town Center area in general offered the highest degree of success possibility because it has already earned the confidence of North Florida as a whole. We're not asking consumers to change their patterns or to pioneer into areas that don't fit within their current lifestyle. (This) is intertwined to how they live their daily lives.”

— Michael McNaughton, President, Sporting Jax Development Co. (jaxtoday.org)

“It's going to be huge for the community. It's going to build fan engagement, and it's going to create unbelievable memories for us as a club — from the women's side, the men's side and for the community itself.”

— Stacy Balaam, Head Coach, Sporting Jax Women's Team (jaxtoday.org)

“I've seen stuff like this in other cities, and I've always said … 'Why not Jacksonville?' Why not us?”

— Fred Taylor, Minority Owner, Sporting Jax (jaxtoday.org)

What’s next

Sporting Jax plans to file applications with the Army Corps of Engineers and St. Johns Water Management District this month to begin the planning and permitting process for the new stadium and development.

The takeaway

The Sporting Jax stadium and mixed-use project represents a major investment in Jacksonville's sports and entertainment infrastructure, tapping into the region's growing soccer culture and aiming to create a year-round destination that will drive economic activity and cement the city's status as a regional sports and tourism hub.