RIVERVIEW, Fla. (WFLA) — One of the largest Mormon temples in Florida and the first in the Tampa Bay area has officially begun preparations for construction.

Religious leaders from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints turned over the ceremonial dirt during a celebration at the 5-acre site in Riverview Saturday morning.

"We are known as a church that is largely based in the West. Of course, Utah is our center, but we have a lot of larger congregations everywhere, but this shows that across all the parts of the country and internationally, the faith is growing," said Neil Andersen, one of the leaders of the services.

The center of worship is expected to serve approximately 27,000 people of the Mormon faith, from Saint Petersburg to Sarasota, according to religious officials.

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