PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – During a special presentation today at TPC Sawgrass, the PGA TOUR unveiled plans for its expansive new global home, which will consolidate area employees under one roof in Ponte Vedra Beach. Commissioner Jay Monahan made the announcement with Florida Governor Rick Scott, highlighting the PGA TOUR’s long-standing commitment to Northeast Florida and the positive economic impact it has and will continue to make in St. Johns County. The new 187,000 square-foot headquarters, which is expected to be completed in 2020, will be located on a portion of the TOUR’s existing property on County Road 210 and surrounded by a large freshwater lake, echoing the iconic ‘Island Green’ 17th hole from THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Designed by acclaimed London-based architectural firm Foster + Partners, the state-of-the-art building will house the more than 750 employees who currently occupy 17 buildings throughout the area, with the capacity to accommodate several hundred more. According to Foster + Partners, the design embraces new ways of working and collaboration for the PGA TOUR, as it responds to changing media landscapes and audiences in the future. “We are excited for the opportunity to continue to grow in St. Johns County and believe the PGA TOUR’s new home will be a sense of pride for the entire area and state of Florida, while allowing us to become more efficient in the way we communicate, collaborate and operate as an organization,” Monahan said. “Although we have a growing international presence with offices and tournaments around the world, the PGA TOUR and our employees are very proud to be active members of The First Coast and Ponte Vedra Beach community, and call this area home.” Melissa Glasgow, Director of Economic Development for St. Johns County said, “Golf is woven into the very fabric of our community, and having the world-renowned PGA TOUR headquartered here only serves to strengthen that bond. As the largest corporate headquarters in St. Johns County, the TOUR project represents an innovative public-private partnership that will generate extraordinary long-term benefits. We thank the TOUR for their continued investment in our community.” The PGA TOUR moved to Ponte Vedra Beach from Washington, D.C., in the late 1970s with three employees who occupied a house in the Players Club development in Sawgrass. As the TOUR grew, it built the West Building, then the East Building – located at the entrance to TPC Sawgrass – that have served as the TOUR’s primary offices for more than 30 years. Continued growth has forced expansion to multiple buildings throughout Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine. Florida Governor Rick Scott said, “I am proud to announce the PGA TOUR has chosen Ponte Vedra Beach for their new global headquarters and the creation of 300 new jobs. While this global company could have invested in any other state, they ultimately decided that Florida was the best location to grow their business and create new opportunities for our families. Our work to cut taxes and reduce burdensome regulations is helping Florida compete for these important jobs wins. I look forward to seeing the PGA TOUR’s continued success in Florida – the golf capital of the world.” Monahan revealed the first set of renderings of the TOUR’s new global home via a video documentary. Foster + Partners describes the global home as being a pair of parallel three-story bays flanking a collaborative atrium. The glazed façades and atrium fill the building with natural light, also allowing for views out to the surrounding landscape throughout the structure. Underscoring the sustainable focus of the project, the building is targeting a LEED Gold rating. The roof has five large skylights that bring natural light into the building, and it is also envisioned that the roof will accommodate a series of photovoltaic panels that will support the building’s energy needs. Nigel Dancey, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said, “Inspired by the lush greenery of TPC Sawgrass and the beautiful Floridian light, the new PGA TOUR headquarters is designed as an extension of its surrounding landscape. As the Global Home of the PGA TOUR brings the organization under one roof for the first time in decades, it signifies the progressive spirit of the TOUR.” The two building bays will be connected by 20-foot-wide bridges that encourage chance meetings and allow for informal gatherings along the edges, without impeding the flow of people. Similar flexible workspaces are located on the wide terraces along the atrium and the far ends of the building on the upper floor, catering to the need for flexible workspaces to support an increasingly mobile workforce. “As we strive to reach an increasingly diverse, more global fanbase and position the PGA TOUR for future success, we must be equipped to meet the ever-changing landscape in international business, media and technology,” Monahan said. “Moving forward with this beautiful new global home in Ponte Vedra Beach will allow for more creative, efficient collaboration among our staff and partners, and will set us on the right path toward achieving our goals as an organization.”
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