Jax Riverfront Alliance Names Tony Moore First CEO to Run Programming at Riverfront Plaza and Music Garden

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The nonprofit created to run programming at downtown Jacksonville's new riverfront parks has hired its first chief executive. The Jax Riverfront Alliance board of directors appointed Tony Moore as founding CEO after a national search led by Kittleman & Associates, the alliance announced Wednesday, Oct. 28. Moore most recently led the Trinity Park Conservancy in Dallas and was the founding CEO of Gathering Place, a large public park in Tulsa, Okla.

The hire comes about 2½ months after the Jacksonville City Council approved a 10-year partnership between the city and the alliance in August. Under that deal, the alliance handles year-round programming, events, fundraising and, over time, enhanced maintenance at downtown riverfront parks. The city keeps ownership of every park and remains in charge of capital improvements, infrastructure and security.

Who Tony Moore Is

Moore brings more than three decades of experience in civic development, operations and destination park management, according to the alliance's announcement. His career began in the attractions industry with brands including SeaWorld, Universal Studios and Zoo Tampa. He later moved into public park development as the founding CEO of Tulsa's Gathering Place, where the alliance says he built the organization from the ground up and oversaw its launch, programming and community engagement.

He comes to Jacksonville from the Trinity Park Conservancy in Dallas, where he served as president and CEO. There he led the design, construction and operational development of the 250-acre Harold Simmons Park along the Trinity River. The alliance did not disclose his salary or start date in its announcement.

"Jacksonville has something really special - a river that most cities would envy and a community that clearly cares deeply about getting this right," Moore said in the release. "Working with the City, our partners, and the community, we'll build on the tremendous momentum already underway, helping operate and care for these incredible destination parks the City has built." He added, "I can't wait."

What the Board and the Mayor Said

David Sweeney, who chairs the alliance board, said Moore "has spent his career taking big ideas and actually delivering on them, building organizations, launching destination parks, and bringing communities along in the process." Sweeney said that track record matters as the group shifts "from standing up this organization to delivering on our riverfront vision." He also thanked Linzee Ott, who has served as interim director since the organization's founding and will stay with the alliance in a leadership role.

Mayor Donna Deegan said she was "delighted" with the choice. "These beautiful spaces are already drawing tens of thousands of visitors to our downtown waterfront, and as JRA moves into its next phase, we only anticipate those numbers to grow, enhancing downtown and the city as a whole," Deegan said in the release. The alliance describes itself on its website as the first public-private partnership of its kind in Jacksonville.

Moore's First-Year Priorities

The alliance said Moore will spend his first year on three main goals. They are listed below as the announcement describes them. The release did not attach specific targets or deadlines to them.

1. Setting the alliance's operational and programming standards.
2. Strengthening relationships across the public and private sectors.
3. Deepening community engagement around the future of the riverfront.

The hire came sooner than first projected. When the council approved the partnership in August, the alliance said its board expected to finish the CEO search by early 2027. That same August announcement said the alliance would begin programming at Riverfront Plaza and the Riverfront Music Garden this fall.

The Partnership by the Numbers

The figures below come from the alliance's Aug. 12 and Oct. 28 announcements and the city's Downtown Investment Authority. Public funding for the alliance is set each year by the City Council, so future amounts are not fixed.

The Parks It Will Run

Riverfront Plaza sits on the former site of the Jacksonville Landing, according to the Downtown Investment Authority. Its first phase includes a playground on top of a pavilion building, an event lawn, an improved Riverwalk and plaza space linking to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts. A second phase under construction on the park's east end is planned to add a rain garden, water feature, civic stairs, a beer garden and a pedestrian ramp to the Main Street Bridge.

The Riverfront Music Garden, at 300 Water St. behind the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, opened in May, Jacksonville Today reported. Its features include walkways shaped like musical notes, interactive drums and a Walk of Fame with brass discs honoring influential Jacksonville bands, musicians and composers. Both parks sit next to each other along the rebuilt Northbank Riverwalk.

The alliance's August announcement said it would program events and festivals, fitness classes, food and beverage offerings, markets, educational programs and pop-up entertainment. It will report key metrics to the city once a year. The group named similar park partnerships, including Buffalo Bayou in Houston, Gathering Place in Tulsa, The Underline in Miami and the Memphis River Parks Partnership, as models.

What Comes Next

The alliance plans to expand from its first two parks to the Northbank and Southbank riverwalks and other public spaces in 2027 and 2028. It says it may add new riverfront parks still in development after that. The organization is also carrying out a fundraising plan built on corporate, philanthropic and community giving.

The alliance has been hiring for its first staff positions, including a programming and events director and a marketing and communications manager, according to postings on its website. It is a member of the High Line Network, a national group of urban park and public space organizations. Its offices are at 221 N. Hogan St. downtown.

More Information

The full announcement and earlier news about the partnership are posted on the Jax Riverfront Alliance website. Information on Riverfront Plaza's construction phases is available from the city's Downtown Investment Authority. Questions for the alliance can be sent to [email protected].