Placement: New Business
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Approve a Major Site Plan for City of PSL-Port St. Lucie Sports Club (P26-122)
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Submitted By: Cody Sisk, Planner III
Strategic Plan Link: N/A - Development Application
Executive Summary (General Business): The City has received an application for a major site plan for a 6,000 seat sports stadium and associated retail uses totaling 133,412 square feet on City owned property within the City Center PUD. The application was submitted by Haley Ward, Inc. The City Center PUD is located east of U.S. Highway One, west of SE Village Green Drive, and south of Walton Road. The site plan provides for four phases with the sports stadium and concession stands constructed in Phase I. Future phases will add additional retail/restaurant uses to the project. The proposed sports stadium and associated retail uses will be located on Block 2 of the City Center PUD as depicted on the PUD concept plan. Block 2 is comprised of Lots 33, 34, 35 and 36, City Center 1st Replat and owned by the City of Port St. Lucie.
Presentation Information: Staff will provide a presentation if requested.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council approve the Major Site Plan as recommended by the Site Plan Review Committee and subject to the following conditions:
• The site plan shall not be effective until the recording of (a) the City Center 2nd Replat, and (b) the Unity of Title required for the site plan.
• No permits shall be issued until both the replat and Unity of Title are recorded.
• An administrative amendment shall be submitted to modify the legal description on the site plan to include the recording information upon the recording of the City Center 2nd Replat.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and approve the Major Site Plan subject to the condition noted above.
2. Move that the Council deny the request and provide staff with direction.
Background: The Site Plan Review Committee recommended approval of the proposed site plan at the August 26, 2026, Site Plan Review Committee meeting. The City Center PUD was approved in 2005. City Center began as a public private partnership between the City, the CRA and a private developer. The vision for City Center is contained in the redevelopment plan for the Original CRA and reflects that City Center would be the central gathering place for eastern Port St. Lucie. The roadways sewer lines, water lines, and other utilities required to serve the development were constructed with the approval of the City Center plat in 2007. Between 2007 and 2008, the City received site plan approval and constructed a 100,000 Civic Center (fka MidFlorida Event Center), a six-story parking garage with 796 parking spaces, and the Village Square consisting of a 3,076 square foot stage, restrooms, interactive fountain and 55,582 square foot plaza.
In 2022, the City acquired twenty-two (22) parcels in the City Center PUD that were previously owned by the original developer making the City the primary property owner and master developer of the City Center PUD. In November 2025, the City of Port St. Lucie and the Port St. Lucie Community Redevelopment Agency entered into a Development and Funding Agreement, Stadium Operating Agreement, and Non-Relocation Agreement for the construction and continued operations of a 6,000-seat sports stadium on approximately six (6) acres of land within Walton & One. The agreements were structured so that the City would retain ownership of the underlying land, thereby granting an exclusive license for the stadium construction and operations. The sports stadium is intended to be the anchor, or catalyst, to spur redevelopment not only at Walton & One but in eastern Port St. Lucie. The Stadium Operating Agreement also provides for parking for the sports stadium on City owned property within the City Center PUD.
Issues/Analysis: The Stadium Operating Agreement provides for a parking license that allows the stadium to utilize certain City owned parcels in the City Center PUD for parking as depicted on Exhibit F of the Stadium Operating Agreement. A traffic analysis was prepared by MacKenzie Engineering for the associated City Center PUD Amendment. It was reviewed by the Public Works Department and Kittelson Engineering, the City’s 3rd Party Traffic Consultant. As stated in the Public Works Traffic Memo, the amendment to the PUD to reduce office space and add a 6,000 seat sports stadium results in a decrease in net external trips.
Due to the specialized nature of the operation of a sports stadium, a traffic operations or special events plan was prepared by MacKenzie Engineering and Planning, Inc. and utilized by the Police Department to develop Special Operations Plans for traffic management during game days and special events. The special operations plans will be maintained by the Police Department and are exempt from the public record.
Phase IV of the development will be parked at one space per 250 square feet of retail space as provided for in the City Center PUD.
To accommodate the development of the sports stadium and retail uses, the existing street trees abutting the stadium will be impacted. The applicant has provided an updated landscape plan that provides for new street trees and a tree mitigation plan that provides for the planting of new trees within the City Center project.
The agreements listed above will need to be amended to reflect the updated legal description as effectuated through the replat.
Financial Information: As part of the Development and Funding Agreement, the Developer shall fully fund the upfront cost to construct the stadium and infrastructure and shall be responsible for any/all cost overruns. Commencing one (1) year after the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the stadium, the Developer shall be eligible to receive TIF reimbursement in twenty (20) equal payments, not to exceed $27.5M total, subject to annual budget appropriations
Special Consideration: There is an associated amendment to the City Center PUD that reduces office entitlements in the PUD and adds a 6,000 square foot sports stadium as a permitted use on Block 2 in the PUD as depicted on the PUD concept plan. The first reading of the City Center PUD amendment was heard at the October 12th City Council meeting. The second reading is scheduled for the November 9th City Council meeting.
Location of Project: The City Center PUD is located east of U.S. Highway One, west of SE Village Green Drive, and south of Walton Road.
Business Impact Statement: N/A
Attachments:
1. Staff Report
2. Major Site Plan
3. Preliminary Landscape Plan
4. Tree Mitigation Plan
5. Stadium Operations Agreement
6. Site Lighting Plan
7. Public Works Traffic Memo
8. Application
9. Agent Authorization Letter
10. Warranty Deed
11. Staff Presentation
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: N/A
Legal Sufficiency Review:
N/A