Massive sports complex proposed for WEC

An aerial view of the proposed development area at the World Equestrian Center is shown in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, June 6, 2025. [Michael Warren/Special to the Ocala Gazette] 2025.

World Equestrian Center leaders are proposing a massive sports complex to be built on 236 acres of pastureland that was intended for low-density equestrian estate homes on large lots and polo fields.

WEC’s requests for Comprehensive Plan amendments, rezonings and other land-use matters revisions to its 2017 Planned Unit Development (PUD) have sparked a pushback from Horse Farms Forever, which compared the enormous proposal to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World.

“Sports at WEC,” the tentative name for the complex, proposes eight full-size synthetic turf multipurpose soccer, lacrosse and football fields; three natural turf soccer/lacrosse fields; six synthetic turf multipurpose baseball/softball fields; and a championship soccer field with increased seating. The indoor facility will have two full-sized ice sheets, eight full-sized basketball courts with the ability to function as 16 volleyball courts and a full-sized synthetic turf soccer pitch.

The complex also would house two restaurants and multiple fan-support buildings containing concessions, restrooms and field maintenance needs, according to the documents. “Sports at WEC” envisions outdoor field sports events, concerts and a hotel, along with two restaurants and a site for food trucks.

The changes from low-residential to commercial activities on this parcel are in direct contrast to the approved previous use for this southwest section of the WEC’s 4,276- acres. The original PUD stipulated that this area would have a low-residential land use.

Attorney James Gooding represents Golden Ocala Equestrian Land, LLC. His cover letters request a PUD amendment and acknowledged the dichotomy about the land-use change.

“While we believe that the sports facilities would serve to support the horse community and community in general, we also recognize that this use is a significant change from the project for which this land-use category was originally established,” he wrote. “Thus, we propose to add regional sports facilities to the uses permitted by the Policy.”

The site for the project is on the southwest corner of the WEC development, with West State Road 40 to the south, NW 110th Avenue to the west and NW 87th Court Road as the east boundary. The parcel is west of the WEC chapel and is mostly grass and pastureland, along with some small woods. Some of the land has already been cleared in the area approved for polo fields. Private roads have already been constructed throughout the entire WEC facility.

Horse Farms Forever opposition
The horse show, hotels and retail complex currently in operation is on about 378 acres and situated on the northeast end of the PUD. The applicants now seek to rezone 236 acres on the southwest of the WEC PUD that was approved by the county in 2017. That PUD was to be developed as a “regional attraction consisting of equestrian-related improvements (including indoor and outdoor arenas, barns, show rings, etc.) and other improvements to support the horse community and community in general.”

HFF has objected to the proposal, focusing on the commercial, non-equestrian activities proposed, the lack of compatibility with surrounding farms to the west and south of the PUD and the seeming “bait and switch” of the requested change from the initial low-residential usage to commercial, for-profit general sports activities.

“This facility is proposed in the wrong location, on lands designated and restricted to low-density residential home sites for the World Equestrian Estates,” said Busy Shires, director of conservation for HFF, via email.

“This intense commercial development is fundamentally incompatible with the adjacent horse farms, equestrian uses and the Farmland Preservation Area. If these applications move forward, the Farmland Preservation Area certainly will not be ‘the happiest place on earth,” she wrote.

Horse Farms Forever has published its position paper on its website and on social media in opposition to the project. It stated that, “In 2017, Golden Ocala applied to remove almost 1,000 acres from the Farmland Preservation Area to build the World Equestrian Center on 480 acres and to allow for residential development on the remaining acreage. The application included moving the Urban Growth Boundary west to NW 100th Avenue. The County Commission granted the changes conditioned upon the residential World Equestrian Estates serving as a stepdown buffer for the new Farmland Preservation Area boundary. These proposed applications seek to undo those promises and agreements. More importantly, the applications fail to clear the required hurdles of consistency, compatibility and public interest as detailed in the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code.”

In its initial report to the Development Review Committee, county staff recommended denial of the requests. The DRC at its April 14 meeting noted concerns about traffic and some incomplete reports and voted to approve sending the application to the Planning & Zoning commission. The application is slated to be heard in the commission’s 5:30 p.m. meeting on June 30.

The project will ultimately be voted on by the Board of County Commissioners after public comment and two quasi-judicial hearings.

This graphic from submitted project documents shows an aerial overlay and amendment area for the proposed WEC sports facilities.