Downtown Jacksonville is buzzing with activity as cranes fill the skyline, and progress continues on some of the city’s most significant construction projects.

The new concept design for Metropolitan Park was unveiled at Wednesday’s open house, which was the last event for public opinion before the final design is released winter 2025.

With the stadium agreement announced earlier this week, News4JAX is taking a look at construction happening downtown and along the riverfront.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department was called Friday evening to Metropolitan Park, where crews worked to rescue a manatee.

Notre Dame and South Carolina are going head-to-head in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Friday afternoon at TIAA Bank Field. Here's what you need to know if you're headed to the game.

Park development along the St. Johns River downtown is one of the major programs slated for Jacksonville. The city has been talking for years about new parks and changes to old ones like Metropolitan Park.

Khan could pay over $370 million for the hotel and the city would offer millions in major tax breaks and incentives for the property. This would be just a start for development in the area.

Participants at the River City Smoke Show include Sugarfire Smokehouse, The Bearded Pig, the Jacksonville Firefighters Union and Southern Soul Barbeque from nearby St. Simons Island.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Tuesday, Jacksonville residents learned more about possible developments at the shipyard site, a new Four Seasons hotel near Metro Park and what is going to take the place of the Jacksonville Landing and other downtown projects along the St. Johns River. The Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) heard from many of the key players during a meeting, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, about the future of the riverfront projects. AdThe Jaguars plan is to use a portion of Metro Park where Kids Kampus used to be located. But that is creating somewhat of a rift because some are saying no part of Metro Park should be used for private development. Ad“The real question here is can moving it be better for the public?” said DIA CEO Lori Boyer.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Another development proposal by Jaguars owner Shad Khan has hit a complication. Khan wants to replace Metropolitan Park with a hotel and mixed-use property and proposed the Shipyards property as a replacement for the park. But all hope for the mixed-use development is not lost. Under the current proposal, Khan would build a Four Seasons hotel and a mixed-use development, which would include a destination site medical facility, where the park sits along the Northbank. RELATED: Khan envisions Four Seasons for Jacksonville’s Metro Park siteHe would be the sole developer, according to Jaguars President Mark Lamping.