Four Seasons Hotel & Residences Jacksonville has named Melissa Sims as its general manager, putting a two-decade company veteran at the helm as the 10-story riverfront property nears construction completion ahead of a 2027 opening. Tony Rodriguez has been named commercial director, joining Sims as the project's operational and sales leadership takes shape in the Shipyards area across Bay Street from EverBank Stadium.
The appointments were announced per Four Seasons, which said Sims most recently served as general manager of Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe in New Mexico and brings two decades of experience with the company to Jacksonville, according to Four Seasons. She will oversee all aspects of hotel operations, culture and guest experience as the property prepares to open. Rodriguez, a Four Seasons veteran of more than three decades with leadership experience in Florida and beyond, will lead the property's commercial vision and market positioning, the company said.
Four Seasons executive Antoine Chahwan called Sims an exceptional leader in the announcement. Sims herself said the project will build something meaningful alongside Jacksonville residents and create a destination reflecting both the city and Four Seasons service. Rodriguez, who has experience with openings, repositioning projects and multi-property strategy, said Four Seasons will build on Jacksonville's strengths while bringing its care, craftsmanship and service to the market.
A Riverfront Tower Taking Shape Near the Stadium
The development is being built in partnership with Shanna Collective and the Khan family. Shanna Collective is led by Shanna Khan, daughter of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, while Iguana Investments — Shad Khan's real estate development company — also developed the project, according to jaxdailyrecord.com. The Daily Record reports the plan calls for a 170-room hotel and 26 residences split into separate wings of the angled building, though HKS, the project's lead design architect, describes the residential count as 25 branded units — a discrepancy the available records do not resolve.
The waterfront development is also set to include a 78-slip marina, per the same Daily Record account. Florida YIMBY reports the 10-story building topped out in summer 2025 and secured $360 million in construction financing, described as the largest loan for a private project in Jacksonville's history, with completion expected in 2027, according to floridayimby.com. That timeline aligns with Four Seasons' own statement that the property is preparing for a 2027 debut, though a project page from ODA Architecture lists the opening as anticipated in 2026 — a conflict the current record does not settle.
Designed to Anchor a New Downtown District
HKS has described the project as intended to anchor a new era of architectural and luxury hospitality design along the St. Johns River, with the hotel's main-level spaces built 17 feet above grade to mitigate flood risks, according to hksinc.com. The firm's project notes also point to an expanded riverwalk and multifunctional lawns meant to host events and connect the waterfront with downtown and the stadium. ODA Architecture, which is designing the interiors, has said the project plays an integral role in the development of the Jacksonville Shipyards and downtown Jacksonville, according to oda-architecture.com.
The Jacksonville property will mark the first Four Seasons in the north Florida market, according to HKS. A Jacksonville Business Journal report characterized the new leadership appointments as putting operational and commercial pieces in place as the riverfront development moves toward completion, according to bizjournals.com. With Sims and Rodriguez now named, the project's next milestones will center on finishing construction and preparing to welcome its first guests and residents to the Shipyards.
