Abstract The equitable allocation of public service facilities is a key issue in regional coordinated development; however, the long-term spatiotemporal dynamics of their spatial distribution and interregional interaction mechanisms remain underexplored. Based on point-of-interest (POI) data from 13 prefecture-level cities in Jiangsu Province, this study employs exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) methods and the spatial Durbin model to investigate the evolutionary patterns and driving mechanisms of sports and recreation facility allocation from 2014 to 2023. The findings reveal that the distribution of sports and recreation facilities in Jiangsu exhibits a stable core-periphery structure, yet limited diffusion is evident, characterized by the sprawling of core areas, the formation of corridors along the Yangtze River, and the emergence of growth poles in peripheral regions. The spatial pattern is undergoing a balanced reconstruction from linear agglomeration to a “from-line-to-area” configuration. Regarding driving mechanisms, the spatial externalities of different factors exhibit significant differentiation: economic growth generates positive synergistic spillovers, while population density, industrial agglomeration, and road density manifest as negative spillovers through siphon effects, crowding-out effects, and consumption substitution, respectively. This dynamic structure helps explain the underlying mechanisms sustaining the highly stable macro pattern. This study is an attempt to reveal the duality of spatial spillover effects of public service facilities with a progressive analytical paradigm. The empirical evidence from Jiangsu Province may provide useful references for the optimization of facility layout and spatial governance in other regions.
Lyu et al. (Sun,) studied this question.