The next big redevelopment project on Fort Myers Beach keeps getting delayed. At the last few Local Planning Agency meetings, town staff seem to indicate that London Bay’s Outrigger property proposal will be on the next monthly agenda. And then, it isn’t. Why?
This project has been years in the making. London Bay came out with its big redevelopment project for The Outrigger property in January of 2024. CEO Mark Wilson went out presenting the plans to residents on the south end looking for support.
He was poised to pitch the plans to LPA in August of 2024 before yanking them from the agenda after a lot of negative written feedback from town staff. A group of residents had also met the night before at Nervous Nellie’s in opposition of the project.
London Bay CEO Mark Wilson circulated this statement: “London Bay has requested an indefinite continuance to their application for 6200 Estero Boulevard, the former location of the Outrigger Beach Resort. This decision allows the team adequate time to address comments in the staff report.”
Wilson and his team went back to the drawing board and revised the original 17-story structure on the property down to 15 and included these public benefits:
– Wave Mitigation Wall
– Public Beach Access and Linear Park with View Corridor
– Publicly Accessible Amenities
– Traffic Mitigation Measures
– Landscaping Improvements
– Beachfront Public Restrooms
– Outrigger Beach Bar
One of the biggest complaints from the vocal opposition has been the height of the buildings and traffic.
The political climate has certainly changed since Wilson started pitching his original plan. There was a successful recall election over Seagate’s plan to redevelop the Red Coconut property. The recall took out Karen Woodson, who voted yes for the project and nearly took out John King, who also voted yes. The third yes vote was Jim Atterholt, who resigned from the Council at the end of last year. That seat will be filled on February 17th.
While they have never publicly stated why they keep delaying their pitch to the LPA, it could be that Wilson is waiting to see how the politics play out.
In the Summer of 2023, London Bay paid $38.2 million for about 10 acres of land including both The Outrigger property and the Charley’s Boathouse property on the other side of Estero Boulevard. London Bay has never revealed any plans for Charley’s, although they did rile up the neighborhood when word leaked out that they might be using a canal to boat people over to any future development they build there.
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The residents want the old FMB back. Not happening. These big companies will basically tell you all to fuck off, sit on the property and put an ugly ass fence around it. Eventually they will get their way and until then, you get to look at an eye sore of a property. No tourists, because there is no where to stay. All the restaurants you are crying for will close because local traffic isn’t enough traffic. Enjoy!
We don’t have enough traffic!? What planet are you on!? The continuing population growth in Lee County alone has reduced the need for tourism, and I’d much rather have a fence around a property, forever, than a gigantic eyesore tower on it. The residents of this island are not responsible for developers profitability. How many times does it have to be said before you pull your head out of the developers a$$ and listen? If Margaritaville could build within the Comp. Plan and still be very successful, then others should be able to as well.
Locals don’t come to the beach. It looks like shit. Will continue to look like a rundown woke town until everyone realizes it will never ever be what it used to be it can’t. It’s not viable in any shape or form. Growth is needed in moderation. It must happen for the town to survive. Businesses and locals all rely on tourism to survive.
I live very close to the Outrigger and I really want them to be successful, but I believe they are stuck. They spent a lot of money on the lot and they need to make some of that money back, right away! The only way to do that is to sell condominiums. They need to sell a bunch of them! A big ugly 15 story condo building! Now they have used up the space for the hotel, so the hotel must become a big ugly tower as well. I don’t see a way to pay crazy money for the land and build a hotel that complies with the comp plan unless your investors are willing to wait a long, long time to get their money back
You are totally correct, Walter. The issue is that London Bay’s ROI is not the responsibility of the residents of FMB. They knew and know exactly what they can build, to code, to make back their investment. It just might take a little longer, but that’s their issue, not ours.
Agree, with Carol. It is not our responsibility to make sure that all purchases of property turn out to be profitable. These developers pay people to make that decision for them, and you would not put all of your plans in one basket with paying that much for a piece of property. A good developer would have alternatives.
I too live close very close to the development. Where Charlie’s was previously London Bay came in and destroyed many mangroves, which has still not come back. On the other side of the street sits the Beach Theater now it is going to be a restaurant. They too cut down many mangroves and received fines from the town. London Bay to the best of my knowledge has never received a fine and never planted them back. I don’t think that is a good neighbor.
London Bay must have an idea of what they plan on doing with Charlie’s. I noticed activity there a few weeks ago and looked on line they have a permit for a sprinkler system and fence. You wouldn’t be putting those on the property without any idea of what to do with the property.
So if I overpay for my house, thinking I can flip it, but find out I was wrong, my neighbors need to allow me to run whatever business I want so I can make the money I wanted?
Why should my stupidity be my neighbors problem?
We need to stop treating investors and developers like toddlers who must be shielded from consequence.
There is always risk in investing.
Alex, increase in real estate taxes to homeowners. Hmmmm – yes because of all the additional high rises will increase road traffic, increase water and electric usage and additional sewage. Who will pay that it will be spread to all of the tax payers, shouldn’t we insist on any new development this large should have additional taxes due to profits they are receiving on the backs of home owners.
Insurance, the town doesn’t receive money for my increase in insurance the insurance companies get rich. I don’t see a correlation with insurance.
Also a small group of residents – Hmmmm if I remember correctly with the recall vote someone acknowledge the number of voters was as high as it would be for an regular election. Wasn’t it? That is not a small number.
One more item they need to remove public benefit of public access since we have recently received a very nice wide sidewalk from Estero Blvd. to the beach. I don’t think that is temporary since it is so nice.
I would like to state also that the more growth means your business increases and puts more money in your pocket. So you definitely have a horse in this race.
Are people deaf or do they have selective hearing? Please place a finger in one ear and listen with the other ear to make sure you’re actually hearing what’s being said. No one is against development, we’re against developing outside the Comp and LDC Plans. Margaritaville did it and is bringing in money for the town, all the other developers can also do it and bring in money for the town. Develop responsibly is all we’re asking. Is that too difficult to understand?! If you don’t agree, go to a town whose code allows for mega developments. This town was created to limit that and that’s what we support.
Exactly.
Wonder why developers are not rushing in to invest. Negative comments from Town Staff? Who are these people? What is their agenda?
I agree with Alex – sooner or later (probably later) the anti-development old guard is going to die off and the only folks who will be able to live here will be the developers and the wealthy. Good luck London Bay!
It should come to no surprise, The town is just trying to appease to its small voter base that wants the beach crippled from future development. They prefer to generate less revenue with developers making profitable contributions to the beach for people that want the beach to revert to the pre-columbian era!
What a disservice to the FMB residents! Property tax and every insurance imaginable is sky rocket which benefits the Town employees pocket book. It’s time for change and for the residents and beach goers stop funding the town and have other people assist with funding the beach.
Alex, increase in real estate taxes to homeowners. Hmmmm – yes because of all the additional high rises will increase road traffic, increase water and electric usage and additional sewage. Who will pay that it will be spread to all of the tax payers, shouldn’t we insist on any new development this large should have additional taxes due to profits they are receiving on the backs of home owners.
Insurance, the town doesn’t receive money for my increase in insurance the insurance companies get rich. I don’t see a correlation with insurance.
Also a small group of residents – Hmmmm if I remember correctly with the recall vote someone acknowledge the number of voters was as high as it would be for an regular election. Wasn’t it? That is not a small number.
One more item they need to remove public benefit of public access since we have recently received a very nice wide sidewalk from Estero Blvd. to the beach. I don’t think that is temporary since it is so nice.
I would like to state also that the more growth means your business increases and puts more money in your pocket. So you definitely have a horse in this race.
Good luck to them. Some people will only be happy with a two story motel.
A free shuttle from the airport with maybe an incentive to not rent a car would help. I.e. 2 free drinks at their beach bar. It could also be a public benefit to the Southside by offering the shuttle to them for a small fee. I.e free for residents and $10 for others. We have a lot of weekly rentals on the southend.
This idea should be developed I think it’s great.