Metro Development Group Breaks Ground on 1,100-Acre Sunrise Hills Community in Brooksville

Planned community will include nearly 4,000 homes, a 2.5-acre lagoon and miles of trails

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Metro Development Group broke ground on Sunrise Hills, a 1,100-acre planned community along Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville that is expected to include nearly 4,000 homes, a 2.5-acre lagoon and miles of trails.

Located near Sherman Hills Golf Course and the Withlacoochee State Trail, Sunrise Hills offers access to the Nature Coast’s outdoor attractions, along with nearby shopping, dining and everyday services. Its location near Interstate 75 connects residents to Brooksville and the broader Tampa Bay region.

The community’s design will reflect the character of Brooksville, including a redesigned entry monument with silo-style features inspired by the Brooksville Silo Project. The design serves as a nod to the local community and connects Sunrise Hills to its surroundings from the moment residents and visitors arrive.

The name Sunrise Hills was inspired by the area’s reputation as the first place where one can see the sun rise in Hernando, tying the community’s identity to the land itself.

“Sunrise Hills represents a significant expansion of our investment in Hernando County,” said Lisa Gibbings, vice president of corporate affairs at Metro Development Group. “We’ve listened to buyers and builders who want more than homes. They want communities with places to gather, stay active and enjoy the outdoors. Sunrise Hills answers that demand, bringing our inland coastal lifestyle to a 1,100-acre site with three national homebuilders.”

Three national homebuilders will be featured in Sunrise Hills including: DRB Homes, D.R. Horton and Lennar.

Sunrise Hills expands Metro’s investment in Hernando County, where the company is also developing Sandal Key. That 872-acre community is planned for more than 3,000 homes and will feature Metro’s first lazy river integrated into a lagoon setting which will break ground in December 2026. Together, the two communities encompass nearly 2,000 acres and are planned for more than 7,200 homes at full buildout.

Metro’s newest community is situated along Cortez Boulevard, with nearby shopping, dining and other everyday conveniences. The location also provides access to Brooksville and is 50 miles from downtown Tampa.

Metro Development Group adds Sunrise Hills to its growing portfolio of master-planned communities in Florida, including Sandal Key, Mirada, Epperson, Angeline, Southshore Bay, and Seaire in the Tampa Bay area.

For more information about Sunrise Hills and Metro Development Group, click here.

About METRO Development Group

Founded in 2003, Tampa-based Metro Development Group has been redefining Florida living and master-planned communities for more than 20 years. As Florida's largest privately held residential developer, Metro focuses on managing all aspects of land development by working with investors, landowners and award-winning builders. Metro has set a gold-standard of inland coastal living through innovative technologies, iconic entryways and world-class amenities, including its signature MetroLagoon. In 2025, two of Metro's Pasco County communities - Mirada and Angeline - were ranked among the 30-top-selling master-planned communities in the country by real estate consulting firms RCLCO and John Burns Real Estate Consulting. For more information, visit MetroDevelopmentGroup.com.