PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Port St. Lucie residents have long asked for more entertainment options close to home. Now, city leaders say their answering the call with a new public-private partnership that will bring dining, nightlife and family-friendly spaces to the heart of the city.
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By early next year, the vacant lot next to Pioneer Park in The Port District is expected to be transformed into The Grove, an entertainment hub that will feature seven venues offering everything from rooftop dining to casual eateries.
“We’re excited about it! Can’t wait to see it come to fruition,” said resident Lillian Soto.
The project marks the latest milestone in Port St. Lucie’s ongoing surge of growth and development. Community leaders broke ground on The Grove less than two weeks after announcing plans for a soccer stadium nearby.
“I have seen Port St. Lucie change quite a bit. It is becoming more geared towards families which is nicer because there really wasn’t a lot for young families to do in the area,” said resident Shantel Luke.
Developed by SŪDĀ Investments, the $15 million project is expected to create more than 200 jobs and attract an estimated 400,000 visitors annually.
“Bringing that economic impact—bringing those dollars right here into Port St. Lucie is really great for our local economy,” said Mayor Shannon Martin.
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Many residents said a space like this has been long overdue.
“We travel outside of Port St. Lucie to go find fun things to do so this will keep money down here, revenue down here, and keep us down here too,” said resident Jonathan Loyd.
“It’s nice, especially living down here directly in this community for my kids to be able to come here and play, for us to do date nights or walk down here, the boys to come fishing,” Luke added.
While excitement grows, some residents expressed concern about potential parking and traffic issues once the district opens.
“The parking lot right now is already full,” said Gemini Soto. “There’s zero, zero parking at all—where are we going to put those people?”
Martin said the city has planned ahead to address those concerns.
“Everything has been set and planned according to all of our planning standards, according to all the traffic analyses and it’s not like we’re going to have swarms of hundreds and hundreds or thousands of people at a time,” she said.
For now, residents are eagerly awaiting the arrival of what city officials hope will become a destination for locals and visitors alike, offering a vibrant new space for dining, entertainment and community connection.
