Construction begins on Fort Myers Beach Margaritaville Resort

After years of delays and setbacks, a project has begun construction. The Margaritaville Resort is set to be located at the base of the Matanzas Bridge on Fort Myers Beach.

When changes come, mixed emotions come with them. Ask any Fort Myers Beach regular how they feel about the new Margaritaville resort.

Joyce Gubi says it makes the small town not feel so small. “We hate to see it get too big we love the way it is a small-town community,” Gubi said.

Jackie Diebert prefers mom-and-pop establishments. “I’m sure Margaritaville’s going to be beautiful but also, I like the mom and pop places,” said Diebert.

“Burgers and burritos, it will all be more…everything,” said Craig Gubi.

After years of delays, you can hear construction underway now. The goal is to build the 254-room resort with all of its restaurants and entertainment in two years.

Deanna Minard works at Mango Rita’s on Fort Myers Beach. “They’ll see the sign and go ‘oh is that like Jimmy Buffett?’ And I’m like ‘yeah we hope we see him!'” Minard said.

Minard is one of the many people who work on the beach and are starting to see some of their favorite places leave or relocate, like the Mermaid Lounge.

“It’s just a staple that people all across the United States know if they come to Fort Myers Beach go to the mermaid so it was kind of a sad moment,” said Minard.

The Mayor of Fort Myers Beach, Ray Murphy, will say this moment of change is necessary to keep the town going.

“It’s not the old beach anymore. It’s changing,” Murphy said.

And, people say it may be bittersweet for now but you can catch them at Margaritaville as soon as it opens.

“We will get used to it. I’m sure but you know,” Gubi said laughing.

Now, some of the construction is from the Town of Fort Myers Beach. The resort itself says the town’s crews are adding underground utility infrastructure right now. They’re doing this so they don’t have to rip up roads later.

The next goal is to get a jump start on construction in July.