PORT ST. LUCIE — The City of Port St. Lucie hosted U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner for a visit to the Walton & One site, a 73-acre redevelopment area city leaders say could benefit from a federal Opportunity Zone designation.
The property, located along U.S. 1 on the city’s east side, is being planned as a mixed-use district with space for restaurants, retail, offices, hotels and housing. The site is already home to the MIDFLORIDA Event Center and is expected to include a future United Soccer League stadium.
Opportunity Zones are federally designated areas intended to attract private investment in communities with slower economic growth. Investors in those areas may qualify for certain federal tax benefits, while local governments aim to spur job creation and redevelopment.
City officials said designating Walton & One as an Opportunity Zone would help accelerate economic activity in the surrounding area and align with federal priorities tied to long-term growth and revitalization.
The site is within an existing community redevelopment area and is viewed by the city as a potential economic driver.
To pursue the designation, the city plans to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to nominate Census Group 381802 for inclusion as a new Opportunity Zone.
“We are grateful for Secretary Turner’s visit and the chance to showcase how Walton & One can spark meaningful economic revitalization,” Mayor Shannon M. Martin said. “Realigning our Opportunity Zone to this strategic area will help us boost local jobs, accelerate redevelopment and attract investment that will benefit residents throughout the City.”