ESPN basketball analyst and St. Johns County native Steffi Sorensen has zipped past half-court in her effort to bring a health and wellness complex to fruition.
The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to rezone the project site to allow the athletic performance center to move forward after more than a year of review.
The project spans 11.86 acres on the north side of Greenbriar Road, east of Florida 13 North and about 1.2 miles from Longleaf Pine Parkway.
Plans call for a 20,000-square-foot fitness and performance center alongside a 12,250-square-foot covered turf-field building. Dark Horse aims to create a comprehensive hub for strength training, sports performance.
Sorensen, a Bartram Trail grad and former University of Florida basketball player who later competed professionally in France, said Dark Horse is designed to serve both serious athletes and community members seeking quality training.
“My team and I are asking you for a shot at opening Dark Horse which will have a tremendous impact on the community in a real and lasting way,” she told the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners. “We aim to serve everyone from young athletes to retired folks. We welcome all.”
The project has undergone an extensive public review process, and some neighbors expressed concerns about traffic and environmental impacts.
Sorensen said her team responded with some design revisions—most notably enclosing all playing areas to negate the need for exterior lighting.
The board lauded the plan, highlighting its benefit to local kids.
“When you’re confronted with a project built with vision and heart and soul is poured into it the way that this project is then I think you’re going to be proud of it for decades and generations to come,” Commissioner Christian Whitehurst said.
The property is owned by the Chris R. Sorensen Family Trust, which purchased the land in 2022 for $1.5 million.
