Big Goal

Port St. Lucie is set to transform its 65-year-old urban landscape with the construction of a 6,000-seat professional soccer stadium at Walton Road and U.S. 1.

The stadium will serve as an anchor for a new 46-acre walkable city center called Walton & One. The development is designed to grow over time to include stores, restaurants, residential buildings, offices and entertainment venues, including the MidFlorida Credit Union Event Center.

Reminiscent of how the Mets’ spring training stadium spurred growth in St. Lucie West, the soccer stadium is expected to attract businesses and residents to the new downtown.

“The stadium is anticipated to kickstart Walton & One’s development, which can help local businesses — both existing and new — to thrive in an area of the city that needs revitalization,” city council Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo said.

SPORTS TOURISM HUB

With the professional soccer stadium, the Mets facility and a new BMX bicycle adaptive and professional race track opening in Tradition, Port St. Lucie could be heading toward a reputation as a professional sports hub.

“Being a sports tourism hub isn’t entirely novel; many residents relocated to Port St. Lucie to be closer to the spring training home of the New York Mets,” Caraballo said. “Now, with soccer also gaining prominence, I believe Port St. Lucie will begin to experience similar opportunities that cities our size currently have and beyond.”

City leaders have long hoped to turn the area around the MidFlorida Event Center into a thriving mixed-use development, but a variety of setbacks delayed those plans. The new stadium and the surrounding Walton & One development — located mostly on city-controlled land — are expected to change that, answering long-standing resident complaints about a lack of local entertainment.

The stadium itself, occupying six acres in front of the event center, will feature a north-end plaza with restaurants, stores, a potential bar and other amenities.

The project also offers a new attraction for residents on the east side of the city, where some have felt neglected compared to the rapid development on the west side, where Mattamy Homes took over the Tradition community in 2018.

USL FRANCHISE

The Port St. Lucie Soccer Club has been awarded a United Soccer League franchise and will launch professional men’s and women’s teams to play at the new stadium. The USL is sanctioned by the U.S. Soccer Federation and operates multiple leagues. The Port St. Lucie team will compete in League One, a third-tier division featuring about 14 teams from Florida and other states.

USL officials noted the announcement comes at an ideal time, following the momentum of recent World Cup games played in the United States.

“Soccer is experiencing unprecedented momentum in the U.S. right now, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the game to more communities across the country,” said Justin Papadakis, deputy CEO and chief real estate officer at USL, during the initial stadium announcement.

According to a Reuters article citing a Nielsen research report, the U.S. soccer fanbase has grown by 10.9% over the past five years.

“As interest in soccer continues to grow and as we see increased population growth across the Treasure Coast — including new residents coming from places where soccer is a popular sport to play and watch — the team could draw fans from across the region and potentially beyond,” Caraballo said.

The sport already has a strong youth presence in St. Lucie County, with players utilizing the South County Regional Sports Complex across from the Mets stadium and other local parks. In February, the Port St. Lucie Soccer Club launched its USL Academy, becoming the first in the region to offer a structured pathway to the professional level.

“We know there is a base of talented youth soccer players in the region who are looking for a path to the professional ranks,” club co-founder Gustavo Suárez said. “With this club, we aim to bring high-level training opportunities to help local players develop their skills right here at home.”

The Port St. Lucie SC men’s team — featuring red, black and aquamarine uniforms with an anchor crest — intends to kick off in 2027. A professional women’s team will follow. Initial games may be played at the South County Regional Sports Complex on NW Peacock Boulevard until the new stadium is completed.

50-YEAR LEASE

Developer Ebenezer Holdings secured a 50-year lease for the site with a 25-year renewal option. Because the project involves redeveloping previously used land, special funding rules apply.

Ebenezer is paying all upfront costs and overruns, backed by a construction bond. However, because the site sits within a Community Redevelopment Area, the city can reimburse up to $27.5 million of the cost using tax increment financing.

Under this method, the taxable value of the property is frozen at its current level. As property values rise and Ebenezer pays property taxes, the incremental difference will be refunded to the developer in annual payments capped at $1.37 million. The total reimbursement is capped at $27.5 million over 20 years, and the money must be spent within CRA boundaries. No funding will come from general public property taxes.

Jennifer Davis, director of the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, said the city is currently issuing a request for proposals for a hotel at Walton & One. The stadium announcement immediately generated inquiry calls from several interested developers, Davis said in a video interview.

Following the hotel phase, the city will seek proposals for restaurants, retail, offices and residential spaces. A master plan updated in 2025 envisioned two hotels, nearly 2,000 residential units and thousands of square feet of commercial space.

“It’s challenging to predict whether this will be what we need to create a downtown, but this can help set the stage and create an environment that welcomes the amenities we want and allow the market to respond organically,” Caraballo said.