Jacksonville Landing
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedA former horseshoe-shaped shopping, dining, and entertainment complex on the north bank of the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville, Florida.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Jacksonville Landing, commonly called The Landing, was a waterfront shopping and entertainment complex in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Developed by the Rouse Company in cooperation with the City of Jacksonville, it was conceived as a festival marketplace intended to help revitalize the city's urban core. The project was part of a broader Rouse development model that included destinations such as Baltimore's Harborplace, Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Miami's Bayside Marketplace, and New York City's South Street Seaport. The complex occupied approximately nine acres at the intersection of Independent Drive and Laura Street beside the Jacksonville Riverwalk. Its horseshoe-shaped design enclosed an open brick courtyard with a fountain, stage, and views toward the river. The approximately 126,000-square-foot center contained shops, restaurants, a food court, entertainment venues, and space for community activities. At its opening, the tenant mix included nationally recognized retailers such as Foot Locker, The Gap, and Victoria's Secret. The second floor originally housed the Founders Food Hall, which contained 18 food vendors and incorporated historical imagery connected with the settlement of North Florida. Construction began in 1986 after a groundbreaking ceremony in October 1985. The City of Jacksonville contributed approximately $20 million toward the development, while the Rouse Company reported construction costs of about $37.5 million. The Landing opened on June 25, 1987, with a week-long celebration featuring musical and civic performances, a balloon release, community choirs, and other public events. Its programming became as important to its identity as its retail offer. The venue hosted more than 300 events annually, including holiday celebrations, Florida–Georgia football weekend activities, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Gator Bowl events, charity events, fireworks, and regular live music. Despite its high-profile opening, the property struggled to achieve projected long-term foot traffic. The development faced competition from newer suburban shopping centers, including The Avenues Mall, as well as parking constraints and a growing perception that it was primarily a tourist attraction rather than a convenient everyday shopping destination. Retail and food tenants gradually departed, and attempts to refresh the offer included the Ostrich Landing video arcade, new bars and restaurants, concerts, a farmers market, and other programming. The Jacksonville Maritime Museum also used vacant retail space at various times to display model ships. Ownership and operating responsibility became the subject of a prolonged dispute. The city retained ownership of the land while private parties controlled the buildings and operations. In 2003, the Rouse Company announced a sale of the improvements to local developer Toney Sleiman, whose company subsequently operated the complex. Disagreements over rent, parking obligations, maintenance, and lease compliance continued for years. In 2018, the city notified Jacksonville Landing Investments, an affiliate of Sleiman Enterprises, that it had defaulted under the lease and demanded possession. The Landing was also the site of a deadly shooting during a video-game tournament on August 26, 2018. The incident occurred at the GLHF Game Bar inside Chicago Pizza; the gunman and two victims died and other people were injured. The event further affected public perceptions of the already troubled property, although the complex's decline had begun decades earlier. In February 2019, Jacksonville and Sleiman Enterprises reached an approximately $18 million settlement that transferred control of the property to the city and provided funding for tenant buyouts and demolition. The remaining tenants were evicted or bought out during 2019. The Landing remained open through the July 4 celebrations because its riverfront location was a major downtown fireworks-viewing point. Demolition began in October 2019. The former mall site was subsequently redeveloped as Riverfront Plaza, an urban green-space project informally associated with the nickname The Lawnding. The former complex's street address continues to reference Jacksonville Landing.
History
Jacksonville Landing emerged from Jacksonville's effort to reinvigorate its downtown riverfront during the 1980s. The City of Jacksonville partnered with the Rouse Company, a developer known for festival marketplaces that combined retail, restaurants, historic themes, entertainment, and public gathering areas. Rouse formed Rouse-Jacksonville, Inc. for the project and selected architects Benjamin C. Thompson and Hans D. Strauch. A groundbreaking ceremony attended by Mayor Jake Godbold took place on October 17, 1985, and construction began in May 1986. The resulting complex was designed as a horseshoe around an open central courtyard. Strauch favored a fully open-air concept and designed the distinctive roof, later associated with red and orange colors, while Rouse required an enclosed facility. The city contributed approximately $20 million to the project, and reported development costs were about $37.5 million. The 126,000-square-foot property opened on June 25, 1987, with a week of performances and civic celebrations. It was the last new festival marketplace developed from scratch by Rouse before the company shifted toward renovating existing structures and building mixed-use centers. At opening, Jacksonville Landing contained approximately 65 shops, restaurants, a food court, and entertainment areas. Founders Food Hall occupied the second floor of the main building and initially contained 18 eateries. The courtyard hosted live music and special events, while the location beside the riverwalk gave the complex a prominent civic and tourist role. Annual programming included fireworks, Christmas and New Year's celebrations, Florida–Georgia weekend activities, Gator Bowl events, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival, charity events, and community fairs. The Landing also accommodated temporary and cultural uses: the Jacksonville Maritime Museum displayed model ships in vacant retail areas during much of the 1990s and returned to the property in 2011. The facility's commercial performance weakened soon after its opening. Rouse reported that it was unprofitable despite the strong launch, and projected visitor numbers were not achieved. Food-court vacancies accumulated, and stores such as The Sharper Image and Brookstone closed. The opening of The Avenues Mall in 1990 increased competition, while some residents viewed The Landing as a tourist-oriented destination rather than a practical local shopping center. Management tried several responses, including the Ostrich Landing arcade in 1991, new restaurants and bars, concerts, special events, and later a farmers market. These measures did not reverse the broader decline. A structural problem was the division between land ownership and building operations. Jacksonville owned the land, while private operators controlled the improvements and were expected to meet lease obligations. Parking became a recurring issue. Rouse warned that dedicated parking was necessary for long-term success, and later negotiations involved promised spaces, ground rent, and parking-validation support. In 2003, the Rouse Company sold the buildings to Toney Sleiman for a reported $5.1 million, and Sleiman Enterprises became the principal private operator. Disagreements over parking, rent, maintenance, and the condition of the property persisted. The city later alleged that Jacksonville Landing Investments had failed to cure a lease breach and in May 2018 sought immediate possession. The property experienced a major public-safety incident on August 26, 2018, when a gunman opened fire during a video-game tournament at the GLHF Game Bar in Chicago Pizza. Three people, including the attacker, died and others were injured. By late 2018, the Founders Food Hall had closed and access to parts of the building had been restricted, while tenant departures continued. Jacksonville and Sleiman Enterprises reached a settlement in February 2019. The agreement transferred the complex to the city and included funding for buying out leases and demolishing the buildings. The city sent eviction notices to remaining tenants in May, later paying negotiated amounts to end leases held by Hooters, Fion MacCools, and BBVA Compass Bank. Because The Landing was a prominent location for viewing downtown's July 4 fireworks, full closure followed the 2019 celebrations. Demolition work began in October 2019. The former mall site was subsequently incorporated into the Riverfront Plaza redevelopment, an urban green-space project along the St. Johns River. The property is no longer an operating retail brand or shopping center, although the address retains the Jacksonville Landing name and the former complex remains an important reference point in Jacksonville's downtown development history.
- 2019
Settlement and demolition
[1]The city obtained control through a settlement, closed the remaining operations after July 4, and began demolition in October.
- 2018
Video-game tournament shooting
[1]A deadly shooting took place at the GLHF Game Bar during a tournament on August 26.
- 2010
Farmers market partnership
[1]A weekly farmers market moved to The Landing through a partnership involving Sleiman Enterprises and Downtown Vision.
- 2003
Buildings sold to Sleiman Enterprises
[1]The Rouse Company sold the complex's buildings to local developer Toney Sleiman while the city retained the land.
- 1991
Ostrich Landing arcade launches
[1]A video arcade with more than 200 games opened in a converted section of the food-court area.
- 1987
Public opening
[1]Jacksonville Landing opened on June 25 after a week-long inaugural celebration.
- 1986
Construction begins
[1]Construction of the riverfront festival marketplace started in May.
- 1985
Groundbreaking ceremony
[1]The city and the Rouse Company marked the beginning of the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on October 17.
Products and positioning
A civic-minded waterfront festival marketplace combining shopping, dining, entertainment, and public events in downtown Jacksonville.
Shopping · 1987
Retail stores
The center originally housed a conventional mix of mall retailers, including Foot Locker, The Gap, and Victoria's Secret. Retail was intended to anchor the wider festival-marketplace concept, but tenant turnover and competition from newer suburban shopping centers weakened this part of the business over time.
Food court · 1987
Founders Food Hall
The second floor originally contained an 18-vendor food court known as Founders Food Hall. It combined dining with historical decorative elements and views of the courtyard and river. The hall became increasingly vacant during the property's decline and closed completely in November 2018.
Entertainment and events · 1987
Courtyard entertainment
The open central courtyard served as the complex's main public stage. It hosted regular weekend music, national country and classic-rock concerts, holiday events, sports celebrations, charity activities, fireworks viewing, and community festivals. A large video screen was installed before the 2007 Florida–Georgia football weekend.
Cultural attraction · 1990
Jacksonville Maritime Museum exhibits
The Jacksonville Maritime Museum used vacant retail space at The Landing to display large-scale model ships. The arrangement provided the museum with visibility and gave the center a free cultural attraction, although the exhibits were repeatedly moved as retail tenants took over available spaces.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Jacksonville Landing Farmers Market
Jacksonville · Florida
The Landing partnered with Downtown Vision to relocate a weekly farmers market from Hemming Plaza. The market typically brought more than 40 vendors to the property and supported the center's role as a community destination beyond shopping.
Outcome. It became a recurring downtown activation, although it did not resolve the complex's longer-term commercial difficulties.
- 1987Grand opening celebration
Jacksonville · Florida
The opening was promoted through a week of performances, civic participation, music, a balloon release, and other public festivities designed to establish The Landing as a downtown attraction.
Outcome. The launch attracted substantial attention, but later operating results did not meet projected expectations.
Brand decisions
2019
Transfer control to the city and demolish the complexStrategyBackground
The property had experienced prolonged commercial decline, tenant departures, and a lease dispute between the city and Sleiman Enterprises.
Action taken
Jacksonville agreed to an approximately $18 million settlement, bought out remaining tenant leases, and proceeded with demolition and riverfront redevelopment.
Aftermath
The complex closed after the 2019 July 4 celebrations, demolition began in October, and the site was redeveloped as Riverfront Plaza.
Settlement value. $18 million (2019 settlement)
2003
Sale of the buildings to Sleiman EnterprisesM&ABackground
The Rouse Company sought to exit ownership of the underperforming complex, while the city continued to own the land.
Action taken
The buildings were sold to local developer Toney Sleiman for a reported $5.1 million.
Aftermath
Sleiman Enterprises became the private operator, but disputes involving parking, rent, maintenance, and lease compliance continued.
Reported purchase price. $5.1 million (2003 transaction)
1991
Convert part of the food hall into an arcadeStrategyBackground
Weak traffic and tenant departures led management to seek a more entertainment-focused attraction.
Action taken
The west side of the food-court area was converted into Ostrich Landing, a video arcade with more than 200 games.
Aftermath
The arcade later closed and did not reverse the center's broader decline.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/jacksonville-landing · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled