Downtown Investments. Neighborhood Needs. Taxpayer Accountability.

How much public money should Jacksonville commit to development—and what should residents receive in return?

The Development Divide follows Jacksonville’s development incentives, major real estate deals and public-private partnerships. From downtown towers and grocery stores to restaurants, affordable housing and riverfront redevelopment, we examine who receives public support, why officials approve it and how the commitments affect the city’s finances.

The series connects individual projects to Jacksonville’s broader spending priorities. We examine cash grants, future tax rebates, infrastructure costs and funding obligations alongside the needs of neighborhoods throughout the city. We also distinguish projected benefits from documented results and ask who carries the risk when plans change or expectations fall short.

Explore the episode briefs below to follow the reporting from the beginning or choose a project that interests you. Throughout the series, the central questions remain: What is Jacksonville promising, what can it afford, and how will taxpayers know whether the investment paid off?

Explore the Series: Jacksonville’s Development Deals, Costs & Consequences

The Development Divide: Part 26

Deegan Calls Developer Cash Grants Investments. How Much Can Jacksonville Afford?

Following City Council's 11–8 approval of nearly $50 million in Gateway Jax incentives, Mayor Donna Deegan continues to defend developer cash grants as investments in Jacksonville's future. But the city has already set aside nearly $34 million for earlier developer obligations, with millions more still awaiting funding, even as Amendment 3 threatens substantial reductions in property-tax revenue. Part 26 examines the growing financial commitments behind downtown redevelopment, Deegan's argument that commercial growth will offset future budget pressures, and how mayoral challengers Wyman Duggan and Ron Armstrong differ on spending priorities. The central question: How much can Jacksonville afford to invest in developers while preparing to cut essential city services?

The Development Divide: Financial Watchdog Special Report

When Government Can't Afford the Essentials, Can It Afford to Invest in Developers?

Just one week after Amendment 3 passed, Jacksonville City Council approved another multimillion-dollar incentive package for Gateway Jax, even as city leaders warned of potential cuts to essential services. When families face financial uncertainty, they tighten their budgets and prioritize necessities before making new investments. Should government follow the same principle? This Financial Watchdog editorial examines fiscal responsibility, Mayor Donna Deegan's downtown development ambitions and the parallels to JTA's financial crisis under Nat Ford. The central question: Are today's leaders building a lasting legacy of prosperity—or leaving future taxpayers to pay for their ambitions?

The Development Divide: Part 25

Deegan Says Gateway Jax's $28 Million Grant Is Down to $9 Million. But Where's the Money Coming From?

Hours before City Council's November 10 vote, Mayor Donna Deegan claimed Gateway Jax's General Fund request had dropped from $28.25 million to $9 million. But repeated questioning by First Coast Connect host Anne Schindler left the revised financing unclear, while official Council records still reflected the original grant. Just a day earlier, Gateway Jax CEO Bryan Moll defended the $28 million subsidy as necessary for the project to proceed. Part 25 examines the conflicting financial explanations, the administration's continued commitment to developer incentives and whether taxpayers are seeing a genuine reduction in public assistance—or simply a shift between government funding sources.

The Development Divide: Part 24

After Amendment 3, Gateway Jax Has Another $105 Million in Downtown Incentives Before City Council

Just days after voters approved Amendment 3, Jacksonville City Council faces two Gateway Jax projects seeking a combined $105 million in public incentives, including $48.25 million in cash completion grants. Ahead of the November 10 vote on Pearl Square’s $28.25 million cash grant, another $55.4 million incentive proposal for a Riverfront Plaza hotel and residential tower enters the pipeline. Part 24 examines the growing subsidy commitments, their different funding sources and whether City Hall can justify additional developer assistance while warning residents of potential cuts to essential services.

The Development Divide: Part 23

Jacksonville’s $525 Million Reserve Question: Who Gets Protected After Amendment 3?

Jacksonville’s combined operating and emergency reserves grew to approximately $525 million in 2025. How much remains available—and whose priorities will it protect? Ahead of Council’s November 10 decision on Gateway Jax’s proposed $28.25 million cash grant, we examine existing developer obligations, new subsidy requests and the need for a transparent reserve strategy as Amendment 3 reduces property-tax revenue. Before cutting services, City Hall should explain the financial choices residents still have.

The Development Divide: Part 22

Gateway Jax, Deegan and the $34 Million Developer Fund: The Timeline Behind Tuesday’s Council Vote

Mayor Donna Deegan called Gateway Jax’s completion grant her highest priority in June. Weeks later, her administration introduced legislation to set aside nearly $34 million for existing developer obligations, which Council unanimously approved. We trace the timeline of Gateway’s negotiations, the mayor’s funding request and Amendment 3’s passage as City Council prepares to vote November 10 on another $28.25 million cash completion grant. The central question: where will Jacksonville find the money as property-tax revenue faces significant reductions?

The Development Divide: Part 21

Jacksonville’s $525 Million Reserve: How City Council Set Aside Nearly $34 Million for Developer Incentives

As Gateway Jax’s $49.7 million incentive package stalls, Jacksonville’s 15-year financial history reveals a 388% increase in city reserves. We examine how Council changed reserve policies, transferred nearly $34 million toward developer obligations, and now faces difficult choices between preserving public services and funding private development as Amendment 3 reduces future revenue.

The Development Divide: Part 20

Florida Voters Passed Amendment 3. Jacksonville Should Cut Developer Cash Grants Before Cutting Services.

Florida’s vote for property-tax relief forces Jacksonville to decide what it will protect as revenue falls. We compare proposed developer cash grants with a year of road resurfacing and ask why City Hall would cut services before reining in subsidies and executive spending.

The Development Divide: Part 19

Pearl Square’s Open-Container District: Why Special Rules for One Jacksonville Development?

Jacksonville is advancing an open-container exception for one Downtown block. We examine who benefits, a documented Gateway-connected campaign contribution and the fairness question: why should established businesses elsewhere have to follow different rules—and what would it take for them to get the same opportunity?

The Development Divide: Part 18

MOSH Passes $100 Million: What Jacksonville Has Committed to the New Riverfront Museum

MOSH’s fundraising milestone puts Jacksonville’s $50 million museum commitment and additional infrastructure support back in focus. We examine the financing, Amendment 3 pressures and the years-long loss of the permanent museum and planetarium—and ask how much public input shapes a project taxpayers are helping fund.

The Development Divide: Part 17

Gateway Jax Says It Can’t Build Without City Incentives. What Happens if Jacksonville Says No?

Gateway Jax says public assistance is essential to its next major project, but Jacksonville faces financial pressures of its own. We examine the developer’s argument, possible financing alternatives and the risks taxpayers should understand before committing additional support.

The Development Divide — Part XVI

Gateway Jax’s $49.7 Million Publix Incentive Package: How Much Is Actually for the Grocery Store?

A downtown grocery store anchors the public argument for a much larger development package. This installment separates the Publix component from the apartments, parking and other project costs, examining what Jacksonville would actually subsidize.

The Development Divide — Part XV

Jacksonville’s Downtown Incentives: Cash Grants Stall, Tax Rebates Advance Before Amendment 3 Vote

Different forms of public assistance create different obligations for taxpayers. We examine why some downtown incentive proposals advanced while cash grants stalled, and how uncertainty surrounding Amendment 3 influenced Jacksonville’s development decisions.

The Development Divide — Part XIV

Jacksonville Restaurant Subsidies: Oak’s $400,000 Request Tests DIA’s Taxpayer Value

Should Jacksonville help finance an upscale restaurant? Oak Steakhouse’s request provides a starting point for examining DIA’s restaurant incentives, earlier awards and how the city measures whether public assistance produces lasting benefits.

The Development Divide — Part XIII Follow-Up

Jacksonville Approves Tori Meadows Housing Loan—but Rejects Using Affordable Housing Trust Fund

Council approved assistance for Tori Meadows while changing where the money would come from. This follow-up examines the funding decision, the debate over the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and what the outcome means for Jacksonville’s housing priorities.

The Development Divide — Part XIII

Jacksonville’s $2.8 Million Tori Meadows Loan: Affordable Housing, Developer History and Campaign Money

A proposed affordable-housing loan raises questions about both public benefits and the recipient’s record. We examine the Tori Meadows proposal, developer history and campaign contributions, distinguishing documented relationships from evidence of influence over the decision.

The Development Divide — Part XII

DCPS Riverfront Redevelopment: What Does Jacksonville Get From the $15.1 Million Sale Agreement?

Redeveloping the school district’s Southbank headquarters could reshape a prominent riverfront property. This installment examines the sale agreement, development expectations and the public benefits Jacksonville should track as the project moves forward.

The Development Divide — Part XI

Hard Rock Hotel Jacksonville: City Incentives Face an Amendment 3 Priorities Test

A proposed hotel incentive package meets a larger debate about Jacksonville’s financial priorities. We examine the project’s public-assistance request and how potential changes to property-tax revenue could affect the city’s ability to support new development commitments.

The Development Divide — Part X

Jacksonville’s General Fund Grew 58% in Six Years. How Much Happened Under Curry—and How Much Under Deegan?

A growing city budget does not tell the whole story about government spending. We compare growth across the Curry and Deegan administrations, accounting for inflation and population changes to put the headline increase into perspective.

The Development Divide — Part IX

DIA Advances Another $74 Million for Gateway Jax as Its Board Discusses Risk

Additional assistance for Gateway Jax brings the scale of Jacksonville’s development commitments back into focus. This installment examines the proposed support and questions about how DIA evaluates financial exposure as its own board discusses risk.

The Development Divide — Part VIII

Jacksonville’s $225 Million Downtown Forecast Is Moving Fast. Has DIA’s Incentive Strategy Changed?

How does a long-term incentive forecast compare with the pace of new commitments? We examine DIA’s development strategy, the projects moving through its approval process and what accelerating assistance could mean for future city budgets.

The Development Divide — Part VII

Gateway Jax Says It Needs Another $20 Million. How Much Public Support Will Downtown Development Require?

Another request for assistance raises a question extending beyond one project: how much subsidy will Jacksonville’s redevelopment strategy require? We examine the new request alongside existing commitments and the need for a clearer picture of cumulative public support.

The Development Divide — Part VI

Financial Watchdog Jax: DLP Capital Questions Put Gateway Jax Under New Scrutiny

Questions surrounding a development partner add another dimension to Jacksonville’s incentive debate. This installment examines DLP Capital’s connection to Gateway Jax and the importance of separating allegations, documented financial relationships and the city’s own taxpayer protections.

The Development Divide — Part V

Jacksonville Is a Top Boomtown. How Does It Compare With Tampa, Orlando and Miami?

Rapid growth can bring investment and opportunity without benefiting every neighborhood equally. We compare Jacksonville with Florida’s other major cities, exploring population trends, affordability and what boomtown rankings reveal—and leave unanswered—about local prosperity.

The Development Divide — Part IV

The $50 Million Publix Bet: What Happens if the Projections Are Wrong?

Public incentives depend on expectations about future construction, property values and economic activity. We examine the assumptions behind the Publix-anchored development package and ask how Jacksonville would fare if the projected benefits fall short.

The Development Divide — Part III

Three Years vs. Eight: Has Downtown Subsidization Accelerated Under Deegan?

Has Jacksonville changed the pace of its downtown development commitments? This installment compares the Deegan and Curry administrations, examining incentive approvals, timing and the challenges of making a fair comparison across different periods.

The Development Divide — Part II

Beyond the Budget: How Much Has Jacksonville Already Committed to Downtown Development?

The annual capital budget captures only part of Jacksonville’s development spending. We examine incentive agreements and other commitments beyond that plan to build a fuller picture of what taxpayers have promised—and what remains to be funded.

The Development Divide — Part I

Jacksonville Is Spending Big Downtown. How Big?

Where does downtown investment fit within Jacksonville’s broader infrastructure priorities? This opening installment examines major projects in the city’s capital plan and compares those commitments with spending on neighborhood needs, establishing the central questions of the series.