FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — A 240-room resort planned for San Carlos Island near Fort Myers Beach is facing additional delays despite receiving all necessary approvals last year.
Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent Anvar Ruziev has been covering the development since the initial proposal, watch as he provides an update from San Carlos Island:
The project, which has been in development for nearly a decade, received unanimous approval from the Lee County Board of Commissioners last August for a zoning change that would allow construction of the hotel featuring a rooftop lazy river and marina.
While initial work had begun on the marina portion of the development, local residents have noticed a lack of progress in recent months.
"There was a whole lot of action in the beginning. It looked like it was really, really taken off and getting cleaned up. They cleaned up the canals and, and then it just stopped," said Schmidt.
When asked about the delay, project co-owner Jack Mayher explained that multiple factors have contributed to the slowdown, including damage from last year's hurricanes and issues with some of the planned amenities.
The development team is currently working on design modifications, particularly to the rooftop lazy river that required alterations. According to the developers, they expect to complete the new design before summer, with construction resuming shortly thereafter.
Despite the delays, some residents remain optimistic about the project's potential benefits for the area.
"This is gonna be more built up, but we still have the rest of the island and a lot of residents here that will enjoy the restaurants and... and take part in it," said Schmidt.
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