Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Discovery Land Company have received initial approval from the Wellington village council to move forward with a mixed-use development on a former polo field. The proposed project, called Isla Carroll Polo and Residences, would include homes, an equestrian complex, and a private club.
The council voted 3-2 in favor of the zoning changes during the first reading on Monday. Mayor Michael Napoleone, Vice Mayor Tanya Siskin, and Councilman John McGovern supported the measure, while Councilwomen Maria S. Antuna and Amanda Silvestri opposed it.
Mayor Napoleone warned that significant modifications are needed before final approval can be granted at the second reading scheduled for February. “In the interest of preserving the [polo] field I am giving you another shot, but I don’t know how you are going to get there unless there are fundamental changes,” said Napoleone.
McCourt Partners of New York and Discovery Land Company of Scottsdale aim to redevelop the 79.2-acre site at 3665 120th Avenue South into an equestrian-focused community. Plans call for a polo field, private club with observation deck, restaurants, spa facilities, racquet sports amenities, gym, and polo training simulators.
A key aspect of the rezoning request is to allow construction of 40 single-family homes on half-acre lots rather than two-acre lots required under current zoning rules designed to preserve Wellington’s equestrian character.
Frank McCourt addressed council members directly after traveling from Cairo for the meeting. He stated his intention was to support polo through this development: “We have gone to great lengths to comply with your code and not ask for a single thing we are not entitled to,” McCourt said. “This is a project we’re extremely proud of and we have a lot of people supporting it.”
Neil Schiller, attorney for McCourt’s group, reported that they had received 120 letters backing the project as well as support from local planning staff. Stewart Armstrong, chairman of the United States Polo Association (USPA), confirmed an agreement allowing USPA to lease the property for $1 per year plus annual maintenance costs over renewable ten-year terms up to 45 years.
“That is like FAU [Florida Atlantic University] having a deal with the NFL to have games and programming at their stadium [in Boca Raton],” Schiller said.
Schiller also noted that without a polo-oriented private club as part of this plan, Wellington could miss out on opportunities tied closely to its identity as an equestrian hub. Ed Davitas from Discovery Land Company added that learning about and watching polo would be central features in plans designed by Estudio Ramos.
Some residents voiced concerns about losing one of two existing polo fields on site and demolition of a barn with space for 24 horses. They also worried about lack of overnight stabling facilities and questioned whether future land use might shift toward more residential housing if arrangements between developers and USPA end prematurely. Schiller responded that any further land use changes would require unanimous approval by council under new covenants if this proposal moves forward.
Councilman McGovern remarked he would not have supported final approval based on current plans but hoped developers would return with more comprehensive proposals including elements such as multiple farms alongside homes: “five farms plus homes,” he suggested as one possible direction.
A company linked to Frank McCourt purchased East Isla Carroll in 2022 for $52 million—ten years after he sold his stake in the Dodgers baseball team for $2.2 billion. Previously in Wellington real estate deals, McCourt sold properties including one near Bill Gates’ holdings; Gates’ daughter Jennifer is known for her involvement in equestrian sports.
Discovery Land Company has previously partnered with Becker Holding Company on Atlantic Fields—a luxury residential development featuring hundreds of homes and golf course amenities—in Hobe Sound’s Martin County region.
