In the Know: 'Muscling through challenges.' Margaritaville debut nearing in SW Florida
Phil Fernandez
Despite the supply and worker challenges of the day, the developers of Fort Myers Beach's Margaritaville say they’re still on track for an end of summer 2023 completion.
"With a two-year construction time frame having commenced at the early stages (of) raw materials-labor shortages and commodity price escalations, it has been proven to be a very challenging environment," TPI Hospitality Co-CEO Tom Torgerson said of work that began in August. "Construction is proceeding on a schedule that, barring any significant storm season setback, would open sometime September-ish of 2023."
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In our exchanges, I've come to playfully find that at least a few of the months on Torgerson's calendar must end in "ish," as in "June-ish," which is a heck of a lot shorter and more fun than saying, approximately. Blah.
But as in the musical stylings of Jimmy Buffett, "Only Time Will Tell" with this enterprise. "Clocks just can't be trusted," Buffett sings.
After eight years of negotiations and other hurdles to get the $165 million project through bureaucracy, the path has become clearer for the Buffett-themed 254-room destination that comes with restaurants and shopping areas.
"We have a most spectacular group of contractors led (by) DeAngelis Diamond that has helped us muscle through" challenges, Torgerson said.
He said a general manager should be in place by May-ish for the complex that's dramatically reshaping the northern island entrance traditionally known as downtown.
The slated bars and hangouts: Fins Up! Beach Club, 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill, the Lah De Dah Bar & Grill, the Coconut Telegraph Coffee Shop and a JWB Bar and Grill. On the bay side of Estero Boulevard, there will be an elevated, 22,000-square-foot “License to Chill Terrace” with a view of the Gulf of Mexico and a “License to Chill Bar.”
New beach road construction coming
After the building began, other investments have come including the $27 million purchase of the Neptune Inn and the town's largest new mansion, among dozens of sales and deals.
Ahead of the venue, an $80 million project that was considered one of the biggest headaches for motorists in the history of Southwest Florida officially wrapped up last month. The idea: Modernizing a six-mile stretch of the boulevard.
And now, transportation officials are working on a $7.9 million plan for improving roadway, stoplights, traffic flows and landscaping for 1.2 miles between about the Margaritaville site and Hurricane Pass, with bids anticipated next year.
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While not unanimous because of congestion concerns, many of you have shared with me or on social media how you look forward to a little "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" at the retreat.
"This property has been an eyesore for the last 15" years, said annual visitor Michael Coy, who has been coming from Illinois since 1976. "It will eventually be the jewel of Fort Myers Beach."
"It's going to be huge," beach resident Sue Lowry said. "It's going to be awesome. It's going to look great."
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Pedestrian overpass for boulevard
With a pedestrian overpass and other measures in play, Torgerson has been hoping for it all to be "very much in step with a walking community downtown district.
"Our guests walk to other area restaurants and bars, and guests of other resorts walk to our venues," he said. "Basically from the bayside of Old San Carlos Boulevard to Times Square to the Diamond Head area. Very much a walk-a-bout district will evolve we believe, and shops and entertainment venues will flourish."
So what might a night's stay cost for a Parrothead once there's a debut? Torgerson has only said it will be "commensurate with the other higher end coastal resorts in Lee and Collier counties."
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A check this week at the nearby Margaritaville in Hollywood found the cheapest room for Saturday that didn't require pre-paying going for $660.
Torgerson's growing 80-year-old TPI, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, owns 40 hotels and four restaurants, all on the Land of 10,000 Lakes except for the Staybridge Suites on Tamiami Trail, just south of Pine Ridge Road in Naples.
Based at the Naples Daily News, Columnist Phil Fernandez (pfernandez@gannett.com) writes In the Know as part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Support Democracy and subscribe to a newspaper.