ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – One of the largest indoor sports complexes in Northeast Florida could soon be coming to St. Johns County.
Project Family is a dream that’s been about five years in the making and could become a reality.
For moms like Kristi Stovall, driving children to all their after-school activities can be a struggle to say the least.
“We’re driving all over the place. We’re driving to facilities in Duval County and trying to get all the kids everywhere that they need to be is almost impossible. It takes so many people to make things happen,” Stovall said.
So she decided to take matters into her own hands. Together with the team at St. Johns Development Partners, they’re hoping to bring Project Family to the community.
“The idea is to bring multiple sports into one complex together, where it brings the family together,” Stovall said.
The 175,000-square-foot facility will be built off Race Track Road and will feature volleyball courts, basketball courts, cafes, hotels, a fitness center and child care.
The multimillion dollar indoor sports facility is something that one St. Johns County administrators said is needed.
“It certainly helps St. Johns County further our sports marketing initiative by being able to attract regional and national events that will provide an economic impact to St. Johns County by people staying in the hotels and spending money on the restaurants,” said St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Director Wil Smith.
The project is near and dear to Stovall’s heart.
“I have a seventh-grader and a sixth-grader in this area. Both are a competitive gymnast. And I also have a son in every sport. And I’m constantly, my husband and I, we are like ships passing in the night. We’re taking out kids to like 10 different places on any given day,” Stovall said.
Project Family will also offer transportation from the local schools to the complex and give after-school sports the ability to start a little earlier.
The project has received the first approval needed to move forward with development. The next zoning meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18.
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