At Social Media Day for Panther Run, Sean Park detailed plans for a wildlife corridor closing a critical gap in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, while LEAD director Mike Kelly and VP Ray Villegas laid out the economic rationale: 70% of Lake County's workforce leaves the county daily for jobs elsewhere. The 2,241-acre master-planned community in Clermont's Wellness Way corridor aims to reverse that drain with 3,000+ on-site jobs while preserving 72.5% of the land as green space (Daily Commercial).
That commute figure reframes how you see Lake County. Every morning, thousands of residents drive out of the county to work, spending time and money elsewhere. Panther Run's master plan takes direct aim at this by dedicating nearly 200 acres for employment uses across medicine, finance, technology, and advanced manufacturing — projected to create more than 3,000 jobs on-site (GrowthSpotter). The goal: let more people live and work in the community they call home.
72.5% of Panther Run's Acreage Stays Wild
72% of Panther Run's 2,241 acres — land that sat untouched for generations, owned between two families — will remain as lakes, wetlands, uplands, and open space. That's not a typo. Nearly three-quarters of a massive development staying wild. Sean Park walked us through the wildlife corridor that runs through the heart of the property, designed with under-road tunnels so panthers, bears, and other wildlife can cross safely without meeting traffic. It closes a critical gap in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a statewide conservation network that connects habitat from the Everglades to the Panhandle.
New High School, 55+ Neighborhood, and Trails Lead the Plan
Beyond the preservation, Panther Run plans real infrastructure. A $214 million high school will serve South Lake County on 50 acres within the development. An 8-acre public safety complex includes a fire station and sheriff's substation. Dream Finders Homes has committed to building the Orlando market's first "Reverie" branded 55+ community for active adults. Add 20 community parks, over 11 miles of trails and bike paths, and a 2-mile immersive nature trail through the wildlife corridor (GrowthSpotter).
Panther Run Models Intentional Growth for Lake County
Clermont is growing fast — anyone who drives the 27 corridor knows that. The question has never been whether we'd grow, but how. Panther Run treats growth as a design problem: 72.5% of the acreage stays wild, engineered wildlife crossings go in before the first foundation, and the employment centers are sized to move the needle on that 70% commute statistic.
I also met Scar the turtle from the Oakland Nature Preserve — a small reminder that this place is home to more than just people. When a development earns the backing of conservation groups and economic development leaders at the same event, you know the balance is real.
I left Social Media Day grateful to be part of this community and excited for what's ahead. Panther Run isn't just another subdivision — it's a model for how Central Florida can grow without losing what makes it worth living here.
