Emerald Coast Motor Club
Florida’s Premier Destination
for Car and road track Enthusiasts
Coming Soon
Be part of a community where speed, precision, and passion come together. A new standard in motorsport lifestyle is on the horizon.
ABOUT EMERALD COAST MOTOR CLUB
Emerald Coast Motor Club is a 751-acre proposed motorsport country club located in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Designed for automotive enthusiasts and families alike, the project will offer driving experiences, community events, and a one-of-a-kind destination in a safe, controlled environment. ECMC will offer access for Members and their guests, while also welcoming opportunities for public access, grassroots track and race organizations, and various manufacturer driving experiences.
Planned amenities include:
3.2-mile splittable road course
Karting complex
Member clubhouse
Paddock and support facilities, with a public restaurant offering road course views
Villas, car condos and real estate opportunities
State-of-the-art maintenance shop
Warehouse storage
Wellness center
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Emerald Coast Motor Club is a hybrid-access motorsport country club, offering experiences for Members as well as access opportunities for the broader community. It is not a members-only, private club.
Road course access will be available for Members and their guests, and public access for non-members through outside grassroots track and race organizations, and manufacturer driving experiences.
Participants will have the opportunity to join organizations like Chin Track Days to drive their own sports car on the course in a fun, safe, controlled environment with training.
The community will also be welcome to visit and enjoy the public restaurant, with the ability to watch activity from the paddock. While crowd size will be managed, ECMC plans to offer public viewing areas at no charge.
To stay informed on access opportunities and ways to participate in the future, please subscribe to our email list for updates.
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The destination will be located on 751 acres off of Forest Oak Road in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, in an “off the beach” setting.
The site is west of Highway 331, approximately three miles south of I-10, and about a 30-minute drive to the beaches of South Walton.
The southwestern portion of the project borders land that is owned by Eglin Air Force Base. Much of the northern side of the property neighbors industrial zones.
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In October 2024, Emerald Coast Motor Club received unanimous Conditional Land Use approval, marking a major milestone in bringing this vision to life. As fate would have it, the word “racetrack” has been a part of this property’s zoning before this project even began.
Since then, the team has been meeting weekly and advancing through key preparatory steps, including testing, sound engineering, environmental studies, and design development.
The next milestone is the CPUD (Conceptual Planned Unit Development) Approval Process in 2026. This is a series of committees that will finalize the overall master plan and design framework.
After that, the project is hopeful to move into the DO (Development Order) Approval Process, which is the step that officially authorizes construction to begin.
The timeline may change based on approval dates. For the most up to date information, please join our email list.
Your continued excitement and support truly drives the team forward.
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The intent of the road course is to create a safe, controlled environment where enthusiasts can enjoy their own vehicles. This will not be an official raceway for major events, like the Daytona 500.
Majority of the vehicles on the track are expected to be street legal vehicles, while adhering to sound and environmental requirements.
The project will comply with all requirements of Eglin Air Force Base’s operations, such as: no more than two-story building height, no track lighting, no grandstands, no PA systems, no onsite lodging, no large crowds, and no apartment-style housing. There will also be limited operating hours and no night driving.
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Emerald Coast Motor Club is led by a group of men and women who all live locally in the Walton County community with their families. The team is passionate about good, clean fun, sports and automotive culture, and providing community events.
Some are racers and automotive enthusiasts, and others are focused on creating a family-friendly venue for local entertainment and fun.
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The project is in early stages, but there will be numerous ways to get involved!
The best way to stay informed about upcoming updates and participation opportunities is to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our email list.
You can also show your support here.
Community Benefits
Emerald Coast Motor Club is more than a motorsports destination - it’s an investment in the local community, economy, and future of Walton County.
Economic Growth & Local Investment
Projected to generate nearly $500 million in total property value impact, generating significant county property tax revenue.
Estimated to create over 75 well-paying jobs (with approximately $5 million in projected payroll) across engineering, management, maintenance, hospitality, auto repair, coaching, land management, and more.
Use of local builders and contractors throughout the project.
Economic boost to nearby businesses, including restaurants, hotels, training venues, and housing.
Environmentally Responsible Design
Project plans include extensive environmental, wildlife, traffic, and architectural reviews, with a significant portion of the property will be preserved as large green space areas.
Noise abatement is a core priority, with sound berms, tree buffers, garage storage enclosures, and limited operating hours (no night driving).
No grandstands, PA systems, track lighting, onsite lodging, or large crowds.
Majority of track vehicles street-legal, adhering to strict manufacturer emission and sound standards.
Community Access & Engagement
Charitable and community events hosted throughout the year.
Select track access for members and outside organizations, fostering motorsport culture while maintaining community values.
Education & Workforce Development
Partnerships with local trade schools and colleges to offer internships and hands-on experience in car maintenance, welding, and hospitality.
Teen driving programs and police, EMS, and agency PIT driver training to support community safety and skills development.
Karting track access for national karting organizations, focused on youth driver training, with scholarship opportunities provided for families to offset expenses for young aspiring drivers.
Regional Infrastructure & Innovation
Support for the DeFuniak Springs Airport runway expansion for member and guest access.
Attraction of car-related businesses (high-tech research, race teams, alternative fuel research, collectors, manufacturers, component companies).
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SO FAR
“Whole family is excited and our property is less than 1000 feet from the track!!!”
“Of all the development projects in Walton County, this will be a net improvement for the residents that live here as well.”
“I have been to several motorsports clubs around the country, and they have been well-received by the local communities surrounding the club. It drives tons of revenue to local businesses and the county. It is also awesome that this project is welcoming a hybrid version of both private and public access.”
“As an event planner, I’m incredibly excited about the addition of this new track! Facilities like this open the door to a wide range of unique event opportunities, and breaks the mold of traditional experiences. I fully support this initiative!”
“This track will bring an incredible amount of revenue (hotels, restaurants, gas stations, etc) in for the county.”
“Great opportunity for us combat wounded vets to have high adrenaline, safe activities. I would appreciate a track nearby, and look forward to everything offered.”
“Would be an incredible addition to our ever-growing sports community (fishing, hunting, golf, baseball, ironman, etc.), especially considering this would attract people from all over the US even in the off-season. So many tourists drive down to this easily accessible area, big motorsports is regaining popularity, and it would generate a great boost for the area overall.”
“I own property close to the proposed track. This project will bring strong revenue to the county, along with many other improvements. Let’s go!”
“The motor club would be a great addition to Walton County. It would create jobs and give young people place to go and learn about cars. We need more auto mechanics, and this would be a great way to learn.”
“As a former Walton County Commissioner, format DeFuniak Springs City Manager and retired Florida Law Enforcement Officer, I fully support this project!”
“I have long been passionate about motorsports, but being in the military, I’ve never been able to be located near a track. I’m excited to show my support.”
“I have nothing but good to say about this project and the developers. They are committed to build a world-class facility in Walton County. They could have made this project work almost anywhere since it will be a boom to the local economy. They are choosing to give back to their local community in the form of a school for technicians, employment for many, and obviously a tremendous tax revenue increason. They want to use local businesses as much as possible. This project should be put on the fast track to approval!”
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