Wellington Gallops Into Growth
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
BY BRIAN BANDELL | bbandell@bizjournals.com
Wellington has several major developments coming, but the village continues embracing the equestrian charm that has made it popular with locals and wealthy riders alike.
Related Ross, led by billionaire and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross, is working on a 71.3-acre development site in Wellington. Meanwhile, the group that owns the Wellington International equestrian center has a new facility under construction nearby, and its partners are building both a luxury residential community with a private club and a commercial center with a long-awaited hotel.
Plus, the village could expand its western boundary by annexing new communities under development.
Webber Hudson, executive VP of retail leasing and asset managed at Related Ross, compared it to the New York City suburbs of Westchester County and Fairfield County in Connecticut. Wellington can benefit from the growth in West Palm Beach.
“Some people who had success in their life choose not to be on the water, but still want to live a high-quality lifestyle,” Hudson said. “A lot of people like to live in a more rural environment. But what Wellington is lacking is a great village center. A lot of people drive a half-hour or 45 minutes to get goods and services.”
Much of the business development in Palm Beach County in recent years has taken place in West Palm Beach as more companies move downtown and Related Ross completes office buildings. Yet, not all of those employees can live in West Palm Beach, so many of them move west to suburbs including Wellington. That has created opportunities for developers to cater to those white-collar workers.
Wellington already has a thriving equestrian economy. According to the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, the Winter Equestrian Festival attracted 300,000 spectators in 2025. More hospitality, restaurant and retail venues in Wellington could keep those visitors in town.
The population and visitors to Wellington has grown along with the equestrian shows, and they were also attracted by the good schools and parks, said Jim Corbin, a residential broker at Illustrated Properties who has lived in the village for 48 years. About 5,000 horses come down during the season, along with about 15,000 people connected to the equestrian industry, and many of them stay for six months, he said. Many of the equestrian estates employing those workers are owned by wealthy executives.
Yet, Wellington has a shortage of commercial space, Corbin said.
“We only have three or four shopping centers, other than the mall,” he said. “We don’t have a tremendous amount of high-end restaurants out here.”
Wellington Mayor Michael J. Napoleone, who is also an attorney at Day Pitney, said not only do people come for the equestrian festival, but there are many sports tournaments that attract traveling teams. That sports visitation is expected to increase, as the Wellington Sports Academy, a training facility that NFL player Jon Bostic completed in partnership with the village, is expected to open this year.
“If we keep those visitors in Wellington they will spend money in Wellington and patronize the restaurants and businesses here,” Napoleone said. “Sports are resilient. No matter how the economy is, people will still spend money for their kids to play sports.”
Private club, commercial at The Wellington
The plans for The Wellington are designed to attract more residents to the village with an upscale private club, and capture that consumer spending with a commercial center that includes restaurants, retail and a boutique hotel.
This 400-acre project is spearheaded by Wellington Lifestyle Partners, which includes billionaire Jeff Skoll, Tavistock Group division Nexus, longtime equestrian developer Mark Bellissimo and investors such as golfers Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, along with singer Justin Timberlake. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based Modon Holding became a shareholder in WLP in 2025.
“We are building a social club community for families to be part of Wellington,” WLP CEO Douglas McMahon said “We hope the commercial Marketplace elevates the lifestyle of Wellington so they can stay here, instead of the island Palm Beach or West Palm Beach.”
The Wellington club community is slated for 151 estate homes, 50 condo units, 47 townhouses and five farms. The private club will include a golf course designed by David McLay Kidd and all types of sports amenities, such as a fitness center, tennis and pickleball. Prices will start at $5 million, and the club should open in 2028, he said.
“The Wellington will be a private club community unlike any other – defined by its quality, design, setting, service and casual elegance. We have assembled the world’s leading architects to design both the residences and the amenities that will shape this multi-generational community.” - Doug McMahon CEO of Wellington Lifestyle Partners
McMahon said The Wellington will appeal to people who work near the coast, but want to live in a beautiful bedroom community, and want a great golf club that doesn’t have a long waiting list.
Located near the entrance to the equestrian showgrounds, the 18-acre Marketplace would have an 80-suite hotel, 49,000 square feet of offices, 33,000 square feet of restaurants, 35,000 square feet of retail and 89 condo units.
The boutique hotel is sorely needed, as many of the families and workers who visit Wellington for equestrian competitions currently stay near the coast for a good hotel, McMahon added.
As part of The Wellington development, WLP is doing a land swap with Wellington International that will result in new equestrian facilities located closer to the main showgrounds. The two equestrian facilities were previously down the road from one another.
WLP now owns Wellington International.
WLP President Paige Bellissimo Nuñez said the new showgrounds will be open for the 2027 season and feature seven competition rings, including a new grass field with soil specially designed for equestrian sports. The new grandstands will have 3,000 seats, with the potential for expansion, she added. Having the two equestrian venues on the same site will reduce road traffic, as people can travel within the site, she said.
The expansion will allow Wellington International to create new divisions for riders of different ages and experience levels, Bellissimo Nuñez said.
“What’s so special about Wellington International is that it’s not just that we have the top Olympians, but we have offerings for every level of the sport.” - Paige Bellissimo Nunez President & Partner of Wellington Lifestyle Partners
Related Ross deal
Further east along U.S. 441, another major project, by Related Ross, is taking shape.
The village agreed to sell its 71.3-acre site formerly known as K Park to two groups. Related Ross would take the eastern portion for commercial development and nonprofit ElevateEd would take the western side for the Wingrove Academy private school.
Kevin A. Ryan, executive VP of development at Related Ross, said this initiative started when Stephen Ross decided Palm Beach County needed another great private school to serve all of the families moving there. Ross found ElevateEd to partner with. While seeking good locations, they heard the village of Wellington had previously considered a deal with a private school for the K Park site. As they looked more closely at the location, they realized there was a massive void in the marketplace for retail and restaurants, Ryan said.
The 26-acre commercial site would feature 300,000 square feet of retail, a 70,000-square-foot office/coworking center, 180 hotel rooms and 15 condo units. About one-third of the tenants will be restaurants, Ryan said. The project will be designed around a main street and include outdoor dining and lakefront dining.
“The design intent is to feel like a village that has been there since the 1960s, but has been upkept well,” Ryan said.
Hudson, the head of retail at Related Ross, said the goal is to create a destination that will attract not only people from Wellington, but residents from nearby communities such as Palm Beach Gardens and West Boca. As with many of its projects, the company focuses on first-to-market tenants and community programming, he said.
“Similar to what we did at Hudson Yards [in New York], we’ll have a range of activations that underscore civic involvement and cultural enterprise to bring people to the town center,” Hudson said. “No two of our projects are the same, but the common thread is a very customized culinary experience, both at the white tablecloth level and quick-service restaurants.”
Education is the other big component of the project. The new Wingrove Academy would have 1,750 students in grades K-12.
While the public schools in Wellington are A-rated, Napoleone said the village doesn’t have an elite private school for residents who favor that option for their children, so this will keep students closer to home. Many of the wealthy people moving to Palm Beach County favor private education.
In the larger context of a city with 66,000 residents, the level of development isn’t that big, the mayor added.
“We have less than 1,000 units coming online,” Napoleone said. “It’s a drop in the bucket compared to what’s here now, and it will be easily absorbed and won’t create traffic problems.”
Push for annexation
Wellington could also add more residents by annexing land that’s slated for development.
The village is considering the annexation of 446.1 acres on the north side of Southern Boulevard, just west of Lion Country Safari and east of the Arden Community. Kolter Homes plans to build 579 single-family homes there.
Napoleone noted that Kolter already had a development plan for the site with Palm Beach County, so it was going to be developed anyway.
“If it’s going to happen, we want to make sure it happens at a level and a product type that meshes with what we have now,” he said. “Not everyone has the design standards and landscaping standards that Wellington has. Western Southern Boulevard is the back door to Wellington, and we want to see it developed a reasonable way.”
This would follow a move in 2024, when Wellington annexed 258 acres at the corner of Southern Boulevard and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. There are currently two Live Local Act development applications for apartments there, and another application by Meritage Homes (NYSE: MHT) for 206 townhouses.
Wellington has mostly single-family homes, so this annexed land could be an opportunity to introduce more affordable housing types, Napoleone said.
“We need to have a better mix of housing product and, since we are mostly built out, we can look to areas near us that are vacant, and shape and control how they are developed over time,” he said.
About Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP)
Based in Wellington, Florida, Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP) is a real estate, hospitality and sports management company dedicated to excellence and backed by a group of prominent, private investors including the NEXUS Luxury Collection. WLP’s portfolio includes the new private residential club community of The Wellington, the Wellington International showgrounds, The Wanderers Club and a charming mixed-use Marketplace to include a luxury boutique hotel, residences, shops, offices and restaurants. WLP is committed to investing in Wellington for generations to come and supporting its position as the premier horse sport destination in the world. www.wlpfl.com
About The Wellington
The Wellington is a new, private residential club community in the heart of Palm Beach County in Wellington, Florida spanning more than 400 acres. Celebrating the best in architecture and design, sports and wellness, casual luxury and landscape, The Wellington will feature 253 luxury private residences designed by some of the world’s leading architects and an array of world-class amenities including championship golf designed by renowned architect David McLay Kidd. Award-winning architect Workshop/APD will lead the design of the community’s master plan and amenities with landscape by LaGuardia Design Group, and will collaborate with highly-acclaimed international residential architects including D. Stanley Dixon, Morris Adjmi Architects and Squire & Partners. The Wellington is part of the Wellington Lifestyle Partners portfolio and will be managed by international real estate development and hospitality management company NEXUS Luxury Collection. www.thewellington.com
About The Marketplace
The Marketplace is a new, mixed-use development in Wellington, Florida, set on nearly 18 acres across from the entrance to The Wellington. Designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, The Marketplace will be an inviting, walkable gathering place featuring a luxury boutique hotel, residences, shops and restaurants, lushly landscaped common spaces, and Class-A offices. Inspired by iconic destinations such as Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Park Avenue in Winter Park, and Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, Ct., The Marketplace is envisioned as a vibrant enclave that all Wellington residents and visitors can enjoy. The Marketplace is part of the Wellington Lifestyle Partners portfolio. www.wlpfl.com
About Wellington International
Wellington International, located in the heart of Wellington, Florida, is a global leader in equestrian sport and home to over 40 weeks of competition each year, including the renowned Winter Equestrian Festival and Global Dressage Festival. A designated Rolex property since 2012, Wellington International has showcased world-class competition since 1974, making the Winter Equestrian Festival the world’s largest and longest-running hunter/jumper horse show. Beyond sport, the venue generates more than $536 million annually for Palm Beach County’s economy and supports over 4,000 jobs. Wellington International is a wholly owned subsidiary ofthe real estate development and hospitality management company Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP). Learn more at www.wellingtoninternational.com.
