JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Sporting Jax has found a permanent home in Jacksonville’s Town Center area and plans to break ground on a new stadium that leaders call transformational for the city.
The club announced that the site will anchor a mixed-use sporting and entertainment district in North Florida. The development will combine professional sports, entertainment, hospitality, residential living, and retail into one walkable area.
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Owner Ricky Caplin, Steve Livingstone, and NFL legends Fred Taylor and Tim Tebow make up Sporting Jax’s investment group.
The project leaders say the goal is to create a destination where people gather even when there is no game on the schedule.
“It will bring people to an exciting place when even nothing exciting is going on,” developer Michael McNaughton said during the announcement.
Former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor said he knows what it means for a team to have a true home.
“I knew what it was like to play in another team’s stadium. Imagine renting a home? You get tired of that, right? Well, now you have a home,” Taylor said.
He also spoke about what the project could mean for young people in the city.
“For kids that look like myself, that come from broken backgrounds, that come from demographics where the opportunities weren’t large. But now that’s going to change,” Taylor said.
Club leadership says the project could bring billions of dollars in economic impact, including construction jobs, permanent positions, and increased tourism tied to regional and national events.
But while supporters are looking ahead, some neighbors say they are still trying to process what the change could mean.
Roger Carlson has lived in his Southside neighborhood for about 13 years. He said he did not know about the project until Action News Jax showed him the renderings.
“I didn’t know anything about it,” Carlson said.
“It’s just nice and quiet and jungle,” he said. “I really hate to see it disturbed. We’ve had all kinds of wildlife and everything there, and so I do hate to see it disturbed.”
Sporting Jax said in a statement:
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a transparent and inclusive planning process. Sporting JAX is committed to working closely with surrounding neighborhoods, community leaders, and local stakeholders every step of the way. This stadium is envisioned as a true civic asset — home to our men’s and women’s professional teams while also supporting high school championships, youth tournaments, concerts, and inclusive programming for adaptive and special-needs athletes. We are dedicated to listening to concerns and being a responsible, communicative neighbor as we build something the entire North Florida community can rally around for decades to come."
There is not yet an exact groundbreaking date, but the club says it hopes to begin construction as soon as possible.
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