Soccer stadium no longer planned for Winter Garden

Winter Garden will not have a 5,000-seat soccer stadium on East Plant Street.

The developer, Federal Finance & Federal Sports Alliance, notified the city the property owner, Strates Property, was not proceeding with the deal. 

The property is located on about 70 acres at 1500 and 1700 E. Plant St. It has a land use designation of Multi-Use Development and currently is vacant with an Orange County tax code of agricultural because cows currently are grazing on the land. 

The property now is listed for sale at $41.8 million. 

In March 2025, the Winter Garden City Commission approved a letter of intent to continue discussions with the developer on the proposal. 

Commissioner Lisa Bennett was the sole dissenting vote when the letter was approved 4-1.

The proposed development included an open-air professional soccer stadium that would seat 5,000 people, a 60-key hotel with convention space, townhomes, multi-family apartments, senior housing or an educational facility, flex recreational fields, public park amenities that includes a dog park, trails and more. 

At the time the letter of intent was approved, Mayor John Rees and commissioners said the letter simply was to allow the city to engage in a discussion with the developer. 

Community members attended the City Commission meeting to express their disapproval of the proposal, citing concerns of increased traffic and noise as well as the project not fitting the small-town charm of Winter Garden.