Sporting JAX stadium proposal moves toward environmental review and city planning filing

The proposed Sporting JAX stadium near Jacksonville’s St. Johns Town Center is moving into environmental review and toward a future city planning filing, but the project remains in its earliest stages. No construction or final Jacksonville approval has occurred.

Sporting JAX told News4JAX on August 3, 2026, that it has filed permits with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The organization said the environmental review could take one to two years. Sporting JAX also said it is preparing to file a Planned Unit Development, or PUD, application with the City of Jacksonville.

What is proposed near Town Center

The proposed site is in the St. Johns Town Center area near Interstate 295 and Town Center Parkway. News4JAX reported that the concept includes a 15,000-seat soccer stadium surrounded by restaurants, retail, housing and other mixed-use development.

Sporting JAX’s March site announcement described a broader sporting and entertainment district that could include hospitality, residential space, shopping, entertainment venues and family-oriented gathering areas. Those uses remain part of the club’s proposal, not completed or approved development.

Why the future PUD filing matters

Jacksonville’s Planning Department says its Current Planning Division reviews zoning applications, including Planned Unit Developments. The department also handles land use, concurrency, mobility and transportation-planning responsibilities tied to development.

Sporting JAX has said it is preparing the PUD filing; the available reporting does not establish that the application has already been submitted. If filed, the proposal would enter the city’s formal review process and could lead to additional public hearings and opportunities for resident input before final approvals are considered.

Residents raise traffic, wetlands and neighborhood questions

Residents interviewed by News4JAX have asked about the project’s boundaries, the location of the stadium and the amount of surrounding construction. Other concerns include possible traffic, noise, wetlands and whether the scale of the development fits nearby neighborhoods.

Those are questions for the environmental and city review processes, not established impacts. The project still must proceed through applicable regulatory and Jacksonville planning steps before construction could begin.

Not all nearby residents oppose the proposal. News4JAX also spoke with a resident who said a Southside venue could be convenient and beneficial to the area.

What comes next

The immediate steps are the environmental review described by Sporting JAX and preparation of the planned Jacksonville PUD filing. The proposal would then need to move through applicable city and environmental reviews, with public participation expected as the process advances.

Sporting JAX continues to target a 2028 opening. That remains a project target, not a confirmed schedule, because the stadium has not received final city approval or construction authorization.

Sources

• News4JAX: Developers outline next steps for proposed Sporting JAX stadium
• Sporting JAX: Site announcement for mixed-use sporting district
• City of Jacksonville Planning Department