Tag Archives: Better Jacksonville Plan

Jacksonville’s is home to great neighborhoods, restaurants and idyllic views of downtown and the water front. It is also home to Jacksonville’s Sports Complex, comprised of three distinct venues located within a mile of each other: the , and . They combine to host one major and four minor league franchises that offer year-round sports entertainment for local fans. The love affair between the citizens of Jacksonville and professional team sports dates back to the late 19th century when the city hosted Major League Baseball’s first-ever spring training in 1888. In 1904, the city welcomed its first pro team, the …

The incorporated in 1859, two short years before the Civil War began and destroyed much of its nascent commercial district. Development was a long and slow process for the remainder of the century, often driven more by outside capital than the local sawmill and lumber trade. In 1868, local citizens successfully lobbied the to construct a school for black youth. Stanton Institute opened the following year. The Board of Trustees christened it “the best school building in the state.” At the same time, northern capitalists financed the construction of the , the fanciest of several downtown hotels catering to a …

at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville has been the home of the Jacksonville Suns since the park’s completion in 2003. A bright spot of the downtown area and the first finished project of the , the Grounds have become a signature stadium for minor league baseball, pairing a classic ballpark feel with all of the modern conveniences of Major League venues. This spring, they welcome a new tenant: the soccer club. The Armada, a member of the ), Division II in the American soccer pyramid, was the brainchild of Jacksonville businessman and former Major League Soccer player Darío Sala. The …