The city broke ground on the Pembroke Pines city center in the summer of 2015. This 175,000 square-foot facility has been designed to accommodate banquets, conventions, meetings, trade shows, and performance events with maximum seating around 3,200. The unique venue is complemented by new City Hall and The Frank Art Gallery adjacent to the City Center. The privately developed 160 acre mixed used project that has approximately 1,800 residential units, hotels, retail shops, restaurants, and entertainment uses.
In April 2017, The City of Pembroke Pines named its new City Center Complex, the “Charles F. Dodge City Center” in honor of its City Manager Charles F. Dodge. Dodge was hired by the City of Pembroke Pines in 1975 to serve as the City’s first Community Services Director. He was instrumental in developing Broward County’s first center to assess and provide social services specifically for senior citizens. Dodge was then promoted through the ranks of City government, serving as the City’s Director of Code Enforcement, City Clerk, Assistant City Manager and Acting City Manager before being appointed by the City Commission to serve as City Manager in 1989. In 1996, he worked with the City Commission to implement their vision and create the City of Pembroke Pines Charter School System, which is a nationally recognized system operating seven public schools K-12 throughout the City. During his tenure as City Manager, the population of Pembroke Pines has expanded from just over 65,000 to currently well over 170,000. Dodge has overseen this extensive growth and development, playing a pivotal role in the acquisition and development of land for the City Center Complex, as well as harmonizing residents’ need for roads, parks, public safety and schools.