Typical ebbs and flows of the single-family home market do not have much of an impact on the ultra with Exhibits A and B proving just that in Naples in an early-April span of three days this year with the volume of single-family homes on the market trending upward and the prices trending downward when billionaire David Hoffmann paid $85 million for a 17,200-square-foot Port Royal home on Naples Bay the Florida Everblades minor league hockey team and the Florida Weekly newspaper chain enlisted Naples real estate agent Tim Savage of Gulf Coast International Properties five years ago to help him find his dream home When Savage arrived to meet with Gulfshore Business to discuss the state of the luxury home market bayfront home he has listed on the market at a mere $29.9 million “The top of the line really sets the bar and the standard for what’s to come in the marketplace,” said Savage who has a weekend hobby of driving race cars there’s a little bit of a flight to safety in terms of tangible assets And in a place where I think we’re one of the best places to live in America the level of construction that we have here The luxury home market isn’t necessarily immune to recessions or rising interest rates “But it’s more resilient and resistant,” he said “The majority of the purchases here are going to be cash it’s really just an asset to put in a portfolio And obviously the appreciation here historically is fantastic and they’re not as subject to interest rate fluctuations necessarily on the purchase And it will affect their portfolio and their investments It shattered when an undisclosed buyer paid $225 million for a six-bedroom according to the home’s original listing off Gordon Drive The price included two other properties flanking the main residence and about 800 feet of combined beachfront hired Naples attorney Kevin Coleman of Coleman to handle the transaction as a trustee for the buyer of record: Kevin Coleman Trust “Fifteen pristine acres of Naples beach is certainly a legacy property,” Coleman said “Our policy is to protect client confidentiality.” showed the one-buyer acquisition had three different sellers: 2200 Gordon Drive sold for $133,177,500 from Westbury Properties Florida 2170 Gordon Drive sold for $44,910,000 from Megan Park Limited and 2340 Gordon Drive sold for $46,912,500 from Jesse’s Goodluck South Limited Real estate agent Michael McCumber and Anthony Caraballo of The McCumber Group at Gulf Coast International Properties brokered the deal “It’s been an honor to facilitate this extraordinary transaction,” McCumber said “With four decades of experience in Port Royal I’m proud to continue shaping the future of this community — always upholding our emphasis on discretion Hoffmann said he looked at both that property and a remaining The southernmost point of Port Royal remains on the market the agents are focusing on selling the beachfront property first The property at 100 Bay Road has almost 800 feet of beachfront Owned and developed by the late Jack Donahue founding owner of mutual fund company Federated Investors Listing agent Dawn McKenna of Dawn McKenna Group and Coldwell Banker Realty said the eventual buyer likely would choose to tear it down and rebuild the 5-acre lot with a blank canvas “It’s 9 acres that’s completely surrounded by water There’s nothing quite like it in the entire United States Because there’s a 231-foot-long yacht basin They can park their 200-foot yacht in their basin and walk to their house and then be right on the beach He said he looked at the other two properties but his $85 million purchase fit his needs and those of his family He did not want to deal with the hassles of construction “It’s difficult to find a place that can accommodate 13 grandkids and all the family members to come to one spot personal circumstances required him to depart do you want to look at this thing?’ I went in and looked at it.” “More rewarding than that though was finding the property that fit them perfectly that technically wasn’t on the market,” Savage said “That’s probably the best part of that sale.” because not even factoring the price of the raw land building a house that size at the current rate of about $3,500 per square foot would amount to more than $60 million “Tim and I agreed you could not come close to building this house “That helped immensely with my decision to buy it.” Buying means Hoffmann also needs to sell the property on which his old house sat “That’s the other part of the equation,” Hoffmann said The market down here in Port Royal is pretty strong “I wanted to be on the water — its proximity to downtown so I use that and the workout center almost daily Everybody maintains their properties to the highest standards You really feel like part of a close-knit community in Port Royal It’s like stepping back in time to the way things used to be.” with a new Port Royal clubhouse under construction as well as a Four Seasons resort and nearby Ritz-Carlton-branded residences which will continue the mystique of the area’s elite residential real estate status it’s going to be interesting to see,” Savage said “It’s going to all be extremely high-quality and well-managed growth Four restaurant chains and a cake shop will join seven other businesses coming this year to the new Tree Farm.. the May 5 opening of the Hospital for Special Surgery at NCH takes the health care.. Not only has Chef Brian Roland physically and emotionally returned to public life in Southwest Florida after his life-altering tragedy.. Beeline is counting on thirsty folks making a beeline to its new upscale cocktail bar at Mercato in North Naples... The 72-unit Verandas III opened and is fully occupied on Airport Road marking the final phase in the redevelopment of.. And what milestone did East Collier's Ave Maria just hit Here's what to know on those and what you're telling In the Know about a proposed Buc-ee's coming to Southwest Florida While Buc-ee's is still in the preliminary stages in the northern part of the region, another major project just wrapped up on the southern end in Ave Maria with the April arrival of the final tenants for its new Midtown Plaza in the form of NCH Immediate Care and UMami Asian Fusion Restaurant Dunkin' and the burg's first hardware store As Ave Maria surpasses 5,000 home sales, national brands arriveA significant milestone, Collier County's Ave Maria surpassed the 5,000 mark last year in home sales with build out targeted at up to 11,000 units on its 5,000 acres “We are excited to have brought national brands to Ave Maria,” said Cee Cee Marinelli vice president of commercial real estate for Barron Collier Companies “As Ave Maria and eastern Collier County continue to grow we now have the population base to support new business opportunities.” which was torn down last year near Pine Ridge Road and U.S according to the McCabe family who are cultivating the 2.5 acres purchased for $8 million Where will you be able to select from $1 million wine collection?Besides access to the 70-unit hotel's 22,000-square-foot wellness center the club would feature an all-day dining and entertainment venue in addition to the 100-seat The Dining Room serving nightly dinners and weekend brunch The goal is for The Champagne Bar to offer the finest bubbly paired with sushi and crudo while the McCabes plan to stock The Wine Cellar with a $1 million collection along with private wine lockers for members and the speakeasy Jetlag would serves craft cocktails in a retro-aviation environment With an architectural goal complementary to nearby Pelican Bay's grandeur, The Carnelian is named for a stone that royalty and the affluent have treasured for centuries to not only demonstrate a family's wealth but offer physical and spiritual protection to the wearer “Sterling’s Club is really the most exciting part because we are catering to our local community We strongly believe there is a need for a true hospitality-focused social and wellness club offering our members and their guests a curated environment," said Gulf Coast Commercial Corp.'s Philip McCabe "We’re creating a world where our members can focus on mind and body longevity enjoy remarkable experiences and build meaningful connections all under one roof.” What will you pay to join the Sterling's Club in Naples, Florida?Pre-construction fees for one card-holding member sit at a $95,000 initiation and $9,500 in yearly dues 'What you’d see if Walt Disney World and Costco had a child'"It's my favorite place to stop while traveling by car," reader Jim Ratliff told In the Know great snacks and the cleanest restrooms on the planet Buc-ee’s is sort of like the gas station version of what you’d see if Walt Disney World and Costco had a child On the other side of the beaver nugget, there's concerns, too, with the 74,000-square-foot travel center and its 120 fuel pumps on 27 acres "Their food is better than Love's truck stop, but that's the bar they are measured against," said St. James City reader Dane Anthony "Overrated garbage that will contribute to making the interstate take longer to get to for those that actually live in the area." Here's what you're saying about the proposed Buc-ee's at the Harborview Road exit of I-75 north of the Peace River that would require rezoning by the Charlotte County Commission Some readers have simplest reaction to the massive SWFL Buc-ee'sSome reading the In the Know columns had the simplest reaction like readers Greg Fischer's "Nice," Sergio Vazquez's "Yes And then there's readers Ryan Matson's "Overhyped," Dona Knapp's "Go somewhere else" and Janice Cuff's "We don’t need that junk." Not to be confused with music duo Jan and Dean raised environmental worries on "this monster" they described as " just another Walmart except with more gas pumps and junk food." Particularly unsetting for them: Its construction in the proposed West Village off Harborview that is part of a “Coastal High Hazard Area,” which means potential hurricane surge and concerns of "all those underground gasoline tanks and pumps under a couple feet of salt water." Asked and answered: Are 120 fuel pumps necessary at Buc-ee's?"I have seen the sprawling concrete mass of a Buc-ee's," Cape Coral reader Jason Snyder said other than at Sam's or during hurricane hoarding "All 120 pumps will be full, with people waiting," said retired Naples Fire Battalion Chief Tim Witherite you would be amazed: Their gas prices are on the low side and people will pull off the interstate in droves to get gas there." "I don’t understand the appeal of Buc-ee’s," reader Stefanie Peters said "It’s like a theme park and a gas station convenience store had a love child." but never any place to sit and eat," said reader Barbara Alexander "Not that big a deal ― bathrooms are clean Will Collier and Lee county residents drive north to Buc-ee's?"I'm driving an hour just to go to this," Naples reader Sha-King Owens said "Keeping my fingers crossed," said Fort Myers reader John Gershkoff Folks posting on social media, such as our company's Facebook pages and a major topic was Buc-ee's usual 200 or so full-time positions with benefits that include a 6% matching 401(k) retirement setup and three weeks paid vacation: "Those burritos are enough for me to work for them," said Arcadia resident Judi Cross "I’ve seen people pushing back on the Buc-ees," said Greater Sarasota Chamber Vice-President Edward B I 100% want this," Punta Gorda resident Jeff Baker said "I know it’s hard to watch us grow," reader Lynn Eckerson Kromer said "but this can be a good thing for job opportunities." as much as I love Buc-ees," Charlotte County resident Deja Sessa said "I’ve lived in Harbour Heights on the river for close to 30 years," said Charlotte County resident Marjorie Benson Cannot imagine what the traffic at the currently convenient (exit) for I-75 will be like." "If they’re going to overdevelop this area might as well go big," Englewood resident Cyndi Sterling said In the Know: 'Mind-boggling' Buc-ee's looking at SW Florida riverfront location. What's it planning? "Bring the beaver to the harbor," said Port Charlotte resident Kris Pirillo similar to Venice resident Michele Theriault Maroulis' "Bring the damn beaver." Fire storm: With major surge in hurricanes impacting SW Florida, apartments now offer 'sustainability' With the planning board's support of the rezoning and other facets tied to the Harborview undertaking that would then help pave the way for Buc-ee's to submit a formal request to build its destination that also sells products such as its signature beaver nuggets sweet corn puff snacks Beaver Tail cinnamon roll and magical wall of meat jerky '#' : location.hash;window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery = location.search === '' && location.href.slice(0 location.href.length - window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash.length).indexOf('?') !== -1 '?' : location.search;if (window.history && window.history.replaceState) {var ogU = location.pathname + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUQuery + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash;history.replaceState(null "\/no-jews-at-this-table-naples-confronts-its-shame\/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=gQqDyS.AMT9D5S32zfUWIaXIgETvKy_QnhUf4E_S1q8-1746527929-1.0.1.1-ot1BFwxC9KW8M0qeLXt53_jNNVEJf79ZPUyLatygkGM" + window._cf_chl_opt.cOgUHash);cpo.onload = function() {history.replaceState(null ogU);}}document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(cpo);}()); FL – One person has been found dead in a possible bear attack Officers were on the scene and investigating it as an "active crime scene," Arielle Callender the public information officer for the South Region office of the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission The Collier County Sheriff’s Office received a call shortly after 7 a.m in reference to a possible bear encounter near a highway in Jerome Deputies arrived about an hour later and found one deceased person The officers are assisting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with the investigation the May 5 attack in Collier County would be the second bear mauling in Florida this year While state data references black bear attacks authorities have not confirmed the type of bear involved in the May 5 attack there have been at least 15 bear attacks in Florida involving the presence of dogs It's not yet confirmed if the most recent investigation incudes dogs The man was taking his dog outside when one of three bears struck his face leaving an eight-inch scar and other marks There are on average about 40 bear attacks worldwide, the animal foundation reported and between two to three deaths per year. The U.S., there is fewer than one death per year, according to the North American Bear Center are usually defensive reactions if a person is too close Florida wildlife officials had three virtual public feedback meetings in April for a proposed return of a state bear hunt The primary objectives of regulated hunting are to balance species population numbers with suitable habitat and to maintain a healthy population A draft of the proposal to be presented to county commissioners is expected to be ready for public review by Wednesday The proposal indicates that 55 bears will be permitted for harvest from Lee The last black bear hunt happened in Florida a decade ago, but the planned weeklong hunt was halted at the end of the second day after nearly 300 bears were killed State officials estimate there are more than 4,000 black bears in Florida Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sactuary is a must-visit — No one is injured after a driver crashed into a building over the weekend according to the Greater Naples Fire Department crews were called about an SUV that crashed into two apartment buildings that had people inside at Mer Soleil Apartments The second has significant structural damage to a load-bearing wall The Greater Naples Fire Rescue USAR Team responded and crews quickly stabilized the structure using a temporary Paratech T-Spot Shore inside a bedroom they installed a more secure shoring system and sealed the damaged wall with blue tarps to protect the building Red Cross was called and responded for family support Arte Viva—Collier County’s ongoing celebration of Latin American culture—continues its stellar programming with an exhibition of 2D local artworks inspired by famed surrealists like Frida Kahlo and Salvador Dalí offering insights into the works curated by United Arts Collier Florida Fish and Wildlife is investigating after a man and a dog died in a suspected black bear attack on May 5  just south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area in Collier County At 7:07 a.m., the Collier County Sheriff's Office received a call regarding a potential bear mauling on State Road 29 deputies found one person and a dog had been fatally mauled The agency urged residents to be vigilant and avoid the area FWC officials said the man was elderly and the attack happened on his property FWC is investigating with assistance from the Collier County Sheriff's Office The man was letting his dog outside when it growled and ran back inside When the man stepped outside to see what scared the dog one of three bears a few feet from his back door gashed his face with its massive paw The wound left an eight-inch scar and other marks Black bears in Florida: Where they're often spotted, how to avoid them An elderly man and dog were fatally mauled by a black bear just south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area on May 5 The Collier County Sheriff's Office received a call at 7:07 a.m reporting the bear attack at 22777 State Road 29 in Jerome The incident happened on the man's property The Collier County Sheriff’s Office received a call at 7:07 a.m on May 5 in reference to a bear encounter at 22777 State Road 29 The bear attack happened just south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area in Jerome FWC's documented incidents of physical contact between a person and a black bear in Florida The use of lethal force to kill a bear if the person "reasonably believed that his or her action was necessary to avoid an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to himself or herself or substantial damage to a dwelling ..." Notification is provided to the FWC within 24 hours.One may not "possess or dispose" the dead bear or its parts.FWC disposes of the bear Can you hunt black bears in Florida?Florida is considering the return of a bear hunt to cull the population FWC had three virtual public feedback meetings in April for the proposed return of the bear hunt The draft of the proposal that will be presented to commissioners is expected to be ready for public review by Wednesday Black bears are the only species of bear found in Florida FWC biologists say there are about 4,050 black bears in Florida Adult male black bears weigh between 250 to 350 pounds The biggest adult male black bear in Florida weighed 760 pounds Adult female black bears are smaller than males usually weighing between 130 and 180 pounds The largest adult female black bear in Florida weighed 460 lbs His forthcoming restaurant will be called The Merchant Room a name he said he originally thought about using for what became Spoon and Stable a decade ago as Kaysen has had a successful relationship with Four Seasons at Mara in downtown Minneapolis (disclosure: Four Seasons Minneapolis runs ads in my weekly Substack newsletter) and he opened Café Boulud at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto with Chef Daniel Boulud earlier in his culinary career This is going to be quite a location—the dining room has an outdoor terrace overlooking a pool and the ocean Kaysen told me the menus will highlight flavors from the Gulf and evolve seasonally Maybe more Spoon in culinary vibe and Mara in service vibe—open for breakfast we have such a great pasta program at Spoon I want to do that program down there,” Kaysen told me he said there’s already a seafood restaurant on the property where “your toes are on the sand while you’re eating ceviche.” He’s had a goal of expanding his culinary reach out of Minnesota “His first venture out of New York City was Cafe Boloud Palm Beach Palm Beach to New Yorkers is like Naples is to Minnesotans I’m going to keep writing the pages,” Kaysen explained For Minnesotans who travel to Naples, the old Beach Club has been in a renovation and planning phase since 2018. It was sold in 2021 to a Phoenix-based luxury resort developer and has been in a transition phase to become a Four Seasons, according to Gulfshore Business. It’s right by the airport about 2 miles north of the downtown area where The Continental from D’Amico is set-up “We’ve been looking and entertaining different deals The patio overlooks the ocean and you get the sunset every night,” he said TrendingResidentialSouth FloridaAThe Weekly Dirt: Naples’ luxury resi market is boomingBack-to-back record $85M and $225M deals closed within days the quieter and more relaxed counterpart to Palm Beach just moved up on the luxury resi market leaderboard billionaire David Hoffmann paid $85 million for a waterfront estate in Port Royal It held that record title for about a week, until the billionaire DeGroote family sold their beachfront estate for $225 million A land trust concealing the buyer’s identity acquired that 15-acre property (The smaller deal is still the priciest non-beachfront home to sell in Collier.)  Palm Beach and Manalapan have become more common but similar growth is happening in Naples —  at a slower pace The $225 million deal marks the second-priciest home sale in the U.S. behind billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin’s $238 million purchase of a penthouse in New York City in 2019 an agent with the Agency in Naples who brokered the $85 million sale with Gulf Coast International Properties’ Timothy Savage tells me that I’m not alone in overlooking the area “Naples has been undervalued for years,” Resop says citing the weather (hurricanes not included) When I asked Resop if he and Savage had a lot of interest from prospective buyers in the Port Royal home he said they had it in contract before they even received professional photos and videos back have taken notice of the increased demand and expanded to Collier County in recent years The latter firm’s Naples office marked its first outside of Chicago since opening in the Midwestern city in 1855 Chicago buyers have long had ties to Florida’s west coast Major developers have also launched projects in Naples. BH Group and Kolter Group completed a $100 million bulk condo buyout on the beach in Naples earlier this year They plan a 12-unit condo development called Olana Naples Residences where each unit will span more than 10,000 square feet and prices start at $30 million Buyers who have previously looked at Palm Beach or own homes therein Palm Beach may now be looking at Naples as Palm Beach has become the center of attention I joked to Resop that he shouldn’t tell too many people about Naples Maybe there’s still hope that the region can hold onto that SIGN UPWhat we’re thinking about: Who’s behind the alleged smear campaign against developer Michael Stern and his JDS Development Group? Send me a note at kk@therealdeal.com Special thanks to Kate Hinsche for contributing to this newsletter Residential: Andrew Farkas, chairman and CEO of Island Capital Group, sold his oceanfront mansion at 516 South Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach for $51.4 million The 9,950-square-foot mansion has seven bedrooms Commercial: Steve Ross, Wexford Real Estate Investors and the Ardid family’s Key International bought WPTV’s studio and office building at 1100 Banyan Boulevard in West Palm Beach for $40 million 70,100-square-foot building for at least two and a half years A four4-acre assemblage at 820 Jamaica Lane in Naples hit the market for just shy of $90 million with 858 feet of continuous frontage along a deepwater canal and the Naples Bay It’s listed with Michael McCumber of Gulf Coast International Properties McCumber represented the seller in the recent $225 million sale of the Port Royal estate New Yorkers who recently moved to Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties brought with them a combined $9.2 billion in income according to a report from nonpartisan fiscal watchdog Citizens Budget Commission The report found that more than 26,000 individuals making an average of $266,000 moved to Miami-Dade from New York while nearly 20,000 people with an income of about $190,000 moved to Palm Beach County in the five years through 2022 Thousands flocked to Naples once again for the US Open Pickleball Championships where a handful of newcomers made their respective marks with gold and silver medals Here are the results from the five championship matches on championship Saturday May 3 at the East Naples Community Park for the ninth edition of the US Open Pickleball Championships Ryler DeHeart and Richard Livornese: A close 14-12 game in the first set proved to be just enough for Munro and Yang both 21-year-old prodigies who are on the come up in the pickleball world The two notched an 11-5 win in the second set to end the match It was far less anticlimactic than their semifinal contest against Armaan Bhatia and Harsh Mehta who has only been on the circuit for two years lauded Munro for getting him into the game and the opportunity Jack took a chance on me in this tournament Despite the loss from DeHeart and Livornese the two managed to rally down 9-3 in the first set and it always helps when your partner's eyes are unreal," Livornese said Women's Pro DoublesAnna Leigh Waters and Leigh Waters def Jillian Braverman and Megan Fudge: Despite falling short with tennis legend Andre Agassi in the second round of action in mixed doubles Anna Leigh Waters wouldn't be denied of winning women's pro doubles with her mother The mother-daughter duo cruised against Jillian Braverman and Fudge securing back-to-back titles in women's pro doubles set the tone early with her mother and put the pressure on Braverman and Fudge An 11-4 second set ended the match in just under 29 minutes after a valiant effort from the second-place finishers Riley Bohnery and Richard Livornese: Munro and Fudge each managed to cap off the night with another gold medal as the pair defeated Riley Bohnery and Richard Livornese "I'm just serving and returning and she's doing everything else.. This was one of the best crowds all week." Bobbi Oshiro: All coming down to capitalization off mistakes Fudge made things look somewhat easy against Bobbi Oshiro early winning 11-4 and 11-7 after a handful of unforced errors ultimately cost Oshiro the match Fudge kept Oshiro on the run more often than not but Fudge's precision was ultimately too much in the blistering heat "I just feel like I'm playing chess out there," Fudge said in a post-match interview my coach for giving me notes every morning on how I'm going to attack this day Definitely credit to him in a singles game that allowed me to stay calm and execute his gameplan." Grayson Goldin: Over the course of the match it was clear who the more superior and complete player was Hayworth secured his first gold at the US Open in an 11-3 Hayworth often capitalized on facets of the game where Goldin lacked moving him side to side and capitalizing on mistakes at the net Hayworth played a far different match than last year where he lost to Jack Foster for the title the finals was probably one of my worst matches all year," Hayworth said "I was not gonna come out here and play a bad match It wasn't the first match between the two sides this year as they've both met at least six times this season thus far with plenty of familiarity throughout the contest "We warmed up together this morning," Hayworth said "We definitely know each other's games and it can always go either way." Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram Beeline is counting on thirsty folks making a beeline to its new upscale cocktail bar at Mercato in North Naples will open its third location and its first in Florida for Beeline which features a signature blend of craft concoctions We’re a drinks-only establishment,” said Saijal Andreadis Ryan “We saw an opportunity because there’s not much like it in Naples or Southwest Florida We thought we would fit in really well with this market.” The 3,989-square-foot end unit at 9115 Strada Place is across the street from Bravo Italian Kitchen in the longtime former location of Bobby Chan clothing store The space also has been a SUNS outdoor furniture store an Original Selfie Museum and most recently East West Fine Art which relocated to another unit in Mercato Expect something different there from Beeline while we have locations that have the same name and branding and some similar cocktails we want the vibe and feel of each location to be unique we have a replica of a banyan tree inside the bar surrounded by banquette seating that is inspired by the 80-year-old banyan tree right outside of our front door at Mercato.” The trendy new venue has a capacity for 200 guests curved radius bar snakes across the space with two big bump-outs There are about 45 seats at the bar with some adjacent tables so we’ll be able to fit a lot of people at the bar,” Ryan said The new space also features a water-embossed gold ceiling with undulating pendant lights custom Spanish light fixtures and ornate Christian Lacroix feathered wallpaper with a cursive neon sign mounted on it that spells out “Oh Honey Honey,” accentuating the bar’s buzzy bee theme “The ‘Oh Honey Honey’ neon is something we have at our other locations so you will see a couple of bar details you may see at another location but the overall design is unique to each location,” Ryan said there is that indoor-outdoor experience,” Ryan said we do plan to expand our patio out with a permanent pergola system that will increase our footprint the Collier County hearing examiner followed county staff’s recommendation in approving a land development code waiver to permit Beeline’s separation distance of less than 500 feet from other Mercato establishments — Cavo Burn and Blue Martini — that sell alcohol for on-site consumption and derive less than 51% of their sales from food items “I think we have a product that isn’t currently seen in Mercato or Naples,” Ryan said yet upscale environment where anyone can come in bring their friends and are guaranteed to have a great experience.” getting dinner with your family or friends or whoever it may be I think that’s where we differ compared to some of the other establishments The beverage menu at each Beeline is slightly different but the concept shares a tried-and-true common base with its other locations in Columbus and in northern Kentucky on the outskirts of Cincinnati Beeline was named for a 19th century train route that connected Cincinnati and Columbus so the bar’s cocktail names are influenced by both locomotives and bees lavender and this delicious blueberry-rosemary syrup We also have a nonalcoholic beverage inspired by it because it sells so well,” Ryan said “The Sober Berry mocktail features Seedlip NA Spirit blueberry-rosemary syrup and a dehydrated lemon We also anticipate our tequila drinks will be very popular here in this market It’s a little bit of a smokier tequila drink with blood orange and agave; it has a black sea salt rim and it’s garnished with a dehydrated lime really fun take on a lemon-coconut expresso martini,” she said “We’ll also have an exclusive menu of four spritzers for Mercato Those are unique to this specific location we’ve got a good mix of popular drinks that sell at other locations as well as new things that would fit in this market.” Beeline also has five nonalcoholic mocktail options including two inspired by its signature cocktails “The Straighten the Rails is made with honey It’s a beautiful-looking drink,” Ryan said “We also have The Caboose made with that blueberry-rosemary syrup Beeline’s NA program includes Heineken 0.0 nonalcoholic beer Beeline’s regular cocktail menu also has frozen cocktails domestic and imported beers; and many bourbon “We’re going to have a great happy hour Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Almost everything will be half price,” Ryan said and then very soon we’re going to launch live acoustic sets kind of throughout the happy hour timeframe,” Ryan said you can definitely expect deejays and then we’ll be adding live entertainment shortly.” At least three more hospitality concepts are planned this year at Mercato is targeted to open a location this summer at 9100 Strada Place the former space of Le Macaron French pastries Shake Shack and Pura Vida Miami are coming to Mercato before the end of the year manager of public relations and communication for Jamestown LP the real estate investment manager that serves as Mercato’s leasing and marketing agent is building out part of the former Charming Charlie clothing store at 9105 Strada Place Pura Vida is bringing its health-conscious menu to the 3,800-square-foot space that formerly hosted a series of pizzerias — Zza Baby Naples Flatbread and Piola – in the last 15 years at 9118 Strada Place Summie permanent jewelry also is slated to debut this summer near Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar “We’re looking forward to welcoming these brands to Naples and providing new food and beverage offerings for our guests Each tenant brings something fresh to our culinary landscape and complements our vision of evolving Mercato’s merchandising mix to best serve the community,” said Adam Schwegman director and head of retail leasing at Jamestown Plans to expand the common public area of Mercato’s Piazza are still going to occur but the project has been temporarily delayed “With five new tenant openings since last summer and another five slated to debut in the coming months we decided to pause the Piazza redevelopment through the opening period We should have more information to share soon,” Ness said the project will renovate the central hardscape area in front of Bravo Waxin’s and Narrative Coffee Roasters to extend the existing turf move the royal palms and create a permanent performance stage and overhead lighting Nine parking spaces on Strada Place will be converted into common outdoor seating and paver areas not associated with particular restaurants Before officials exited the woods with the bear and then more pops came 30 to 45 minutes later Earlier they said they had put out bear traps as they continued to investigate the incident Officials said the dead bear was headed to Gainesville for testing of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they were called to the property after his daughter reported seeing a bear kill Markel's dog about 7 a.m Responders found his body "a couple hundred yards away" as they searched He said Markel likely had been mauled earlier that morning FWC officials warned that the animal may remain in the area and urged residents to remain vigilant Officers are continuing to secure the area and Renaud said they'd continue throughout the night said that if the ongoing investigation confirms that the victim’s cause of death was mauling by the suspected bear it would be the first ever death by bear attack in Florida Monday in reference to a possible bear encounter in the 22700 block of State Road 29 in Jerome a rural area between Naples and Everglades City More than a dozen FWC and CCSO vehicles lined up with lights flashing along both sides of the two-lane State Road 29 for hours as law enforcement officers swarmed the property which is situated in a secluded area within the edge of the woods the May 5 black bear attack in Collier County is the second bear mauling statewide this year He was taking his dog outside when one of three bears struck his face As the bear population grows as do human encroach on previously empty lands the state is considering culling the population The FWC had three virtual public feedback meetings in April for the proposed return of the bear hunt The proposal indicates that 55 will be permitted for harvest from Lee The last black bear hunt happened a decade ago, but the planned 7-day hunt was shut down at the end of the second day after nearly 300 bears were killed The FWC estimates there are more than 4,000 black bears in the state (This is a breaking news story and has been updated with new information.) Editor Mark Bickel contributed to this report There was some startling news May 5 as wildlife officials reported a black bear attack may have resulted in the death of a man and a dog just south of Big Cypress Wildlife Management This comes a little more than one year after Florida Gov Ron DeSantis signed what is known as the "Taking of Bears" bill or officially in the books as House Bill (HB) 87 The act provides an exemption from penalties for killing bears without permits or authorization under certain circumstances It passed 88-29 in the Florida House on Feb 15 while the Senate's version SB 632 passed 24-12 in the Florida Senate days later The bill's analysis says it would exempt people from any administrative civil or criminal penalties for killing a bear if: The person is believed that it was necessary to avoid imminent death or serious bodily injury to their self another person or a pet.The person did not lure the bear with food or attractants for an illegal purpose training dogs to hunt bears.The person didn’t intentionally or recklessly put their self or pet in a situation where they would need to use lethal force.Anyone who takes a bear must notify FWC within 24 hours it drew in heavy criticism from wildlife activists Defenders of Wildlife officials for the organizations stated that the bill's language could leave room for bears to be killed without them posing any actual threat However, some shared their support for the bill. In an interview with Politico, hunting advocate Lane Stephens said the bill would allow residents to feel assured they could protect themselves in their homes The FWC says if you encounter a bear at close range back up slowly and speak to the bear in a calm do not make any sudden or abrupt movements Back way slowly and be sure the bear has an obvious escape route." Beloved General Manager of Nosh on Naples Bay Josh Weaver died over the weekend in a "bad auto accident," according to his wife Sarah on Facebook Weaver became the general manager at Nosh in 2022 and brought his personality and energy into every interaction he had with his staff and customers "Every visit was filled with laughter, warmth, and his unforgettable kindness," Nosh regular Tom Augustine wrote on Facebook "He always went out of his way to make every moment special." Weaver frequently shared news and highlights from his career at Nosh on his Instagram page, @JoshfromNosh His bio reads: "Young Executive Elevating Naples Food Scene 1 Experience at a time!" Nosh was closed on May 4 after receiving news of Weaver's passing Funeral information was not yet available Monday afternoon More: Naples restaurant makes OpenTable's Top 100 list for 2025 "Josh and Sarah were a team in life and a team at work," GoFundMe organizer Dana Johnson wrote "We hope you will join us in helping Sarah through this difficult time keep praying for her and all of Josh's friends and family as they come to terms with this devastating loss." Each week during the school year, the Naples Daily News selects athletes that stood out the week before based on a combination of coach reports and school nominations sent to sports@naplesnews.com and our coverage Those athletes are put in a poll each Monday on naplesnews.com and you The winners of the Naples Daily News Athlete of the Week poll receive a T-shirt provided by BSN Sports and a tote bag provided by USA Today High School Sports Awards. Voting ends at 10 a.m. Thursday each week. The winner will be announced on the @ndnprepzone Instagram page and on X at @NDN_PrepZone Our last winner was Barron Collier softball player Gianna Frino who finished with 60.5 percent of the vote in a six-way race CLICK HERE TO VOTE or scroll to see the poll at the bottom Went a combined 4 for 5 at the plate in the series against Island Coast and four runs scored in the regional semifinal round and a run batted in against Cambridge Christian in a sweep of the Lancers Went the distance against Riverdale in the Class 5A-District 12 championship and a singular walk against the Raiders in a 5-0 win and six RBI with three runs scored in wins over Clewiston and LaBelle Scored five goals in the Class 1A-Region 3 title game against Canterbury helping lead the Seahawks to a 16-10 win over the previously unbeaten Cougars Scored four goals in the Class 1A-Region 3 title game against Bradenton Christian beating the Panthers 20-6 to advance to the program's second Final Four Qualified for the state meet in a pair of events finishing in first in the discus throw (45.09 meters) and second place in the shot put (17.62 meters) at the Class 3A-Region 3 meet Qualified for the state meet in three events placing first in the triple jump (14.52 meters) Swept the 800- and 1600-meter races at the Class 3A-Region 3 meet clocking respective times of 2:12.08 and 4:55.63 to advance to states Took third place in the triple jump at the Class 1A-Region 3 meet followed by a fourth-place finish in the long jump (5.12 meters) and a second-place finish in the 4x400 relay Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner Grab your amigos and hit one of these local spots to celebrate with margs Tacos & Tequila is celebrating "Drinko de Mayo" this year with food and drink specials all weekend long There's three locations across Southwest Florida: Rocco's TacosMercato Naples is hosting a Cinco de Mayo celebration May 5 before a Garganta and Sanctum Soul tribute band takes the stage (9110 Strada Place, Suite 6205, Naples; 239-254-1080; experiencemercato.com) Felipe's Mexican Taqueria is bringing the fiesta this year in Naples Grab an award-winning taco and sip on a margarita on May 5 to celebrate the holiday you can pay $55 for access to a VIP section featuring a private taco bar you'll be able to enjoy a band from 5 to 10 p.m Don Tequila Mexican RestaurantDon Tequila is a local favorite for Mexican food They've received a 4.3 out of 5 on Yelp with more than 330 reviews (4947 Tamiami Trail N, Naples; 239-529-6472; dontequilamexicanrestaurant.com) 810 Entertainment at Miromar Outlets in Estero is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with three margarita specials The Cadillac margs feature a premium refined cognac and exotic bitter orange liqueur The specials begin May 2 and run through May 5 or throw an ax at the entertainment center (10801 Corkscrew Road, Suite 50, Miromar Outlets, Estero; 239-766-8448; 810bowling.com) Lawyers for Naples Pride and the city of Naples argued in federal court Friday over requirements for the organization's upcoming pride festival Naples Pride claims the rules imposed by the city are unconstitutional while city officials maintain their actions are based on safety concerns Supporters of Naples Pride rallied near the courthouse before the hearing began "We're asking the court to make sure our first amendment speech isn't violated on June 7 and we're not being asked to pay discriminatory security fees to host our pride festival on June 7," said Callhan Soldavini with Naples Pride Senior Reporter Kaitlin Knapp explains what both sides have to say about the federal lawsuit: The demonstrators occasionally encountered people challenging the festival's location "Nobody here is protesting their right to do what they want to do What we are protesting is their right to do that in a public venue," said John Meo chairman of the Collier County Republican Executive Committee Naples Pride filed a lawsuit against the city of Naples the police department and city leaders over its PrideFest permit While the city council approved the permit they mandated that drag shows must be held indoors with attendance restricted to those 18 and older rather than taking place on stage at Cambier Park "What we're fighting for today is for everyone's right to be heard," said Soldavini Naples Pride's attorneys argued the city's $44,000 security fee estimate is unconstitutional They also contended that prohibiting outdoor drag performances violates free speech protections The city's attorneys countered that police must create customized security plans based on risk factors for events like PrideFest They maintained that moving drag performances indoors addresses security concerns and potential threats our biggest concern is that on June 7 when we celebrate that it's our first amendment rights," said Soldavini Steele will decide whether to approve an injunction that would prevent the city from restricting outdoor drag performances it would force the city to go back and determine what portion of the fees are unconstitutional absolutely pride will be celebrated," said Soldavini The judge indicated he would potentially issue a ruling next week Protesters confronted each other and shouted in each others faces Friday morning in downtown Fort Myers just before a hearing in federal court over a lawsuit that Naples Pride filed against the city of Naples Naples Pride said it would ask a federal judge to make a decision today on whether its lawsuit can continue the organization says its Pridefest will happen on June 7 The lawsuit alleges unconstitutional restrictions on the annual Pridefest celebration including requirements that drag performances be held indoors and subject to security fees that have increased by more than 2,700% since 2017 The nonprofit organization filed the complaint on April 10 in federal court claiming the city's restrictions violate their First Amendment rights and unfairly target LGBTQ+ expression and healthcare services to the LGBTQ+ community says depends on the annual Pridefest for approximately 25% of its operating budget the city imposed three major restrictions: requiring drag performances be held indoors at the Norris Center prohibiting anyone under 18 from attending those performances even with parental supervision and imposing a $30,697.50 security fee for the indoor event option The lawsuit claims there was a dramatic escalation in security fees over the years from $1,125 in 2017 to the current $30,697.50 figure – an increase the organization calls "grossly disproportionate" compared to other city events a car show that closes multiple streets paid $16,276.25 in 2024 while the Fifth Avenue Tree Lighting and Christmas Walk – which attracts 10,000-15,000 people The lawsuit presents two main claims: that the restrictions specifically violate Naples Pride's First Amendment rights by burdening their protected speech and that Naples' entire permitting system is unconstitutional because it grants city officials "unfettered discretion" without "narrowly drawn This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy a Naples family is seeking justice for the death of an 18-year-old woman that was shot and killed in April There is an active Collier County warrant for the arrest of Antonio Licout, 19, of Naples, who is suspected to have shot Aaliyah Gonzalez, 18, in the head April 10. The shooting happened overnight in the area of Airport-Pulling Road North and Ponce De Leon Drive "I don't get enough sleep thinking about how that guy's still out there and my daughter is gone forever," said Jose Luis Gonzalez who said his daughter was known to her family as a "tough Aaliyah was practicing to become a professional nail technician She was a social butterfly with many friends Gonzalez and the rest of Aaliyah's family have been posting about the young girl's death on various social media platforms including Facebook and TikTok in an attempt to seek justice the Collier County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday the death remains an active investigation "the evidence will be reviewed by the State Attorney’s Office which may amend the charges if they deem appropriate." “Thanks to outstanding investigative work our detectives have identified Antonio Licout as the person responsible for this terrible crime,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said “They are now working tirelessly to locate and arrest him.” Gonzalez said that for the last several days his family has not received information from the Collier County Sheriff's Office about updates regarding the investigation it appears that Aaliyah and Licout didn't know each other Licout had intervened during an altercation between his girlfriend and Aaliyah and her friends Detectives say Gonzalez was with a group of friends in the area of Ponce de Leon Drive and Airport-Pulling Road shortly before 2:30 a.m April 10 when a group that included Licout approached them An altercation ensued between the two groups Aaliyah and her friends attempted to leave the area in a vehicle Gonzalez said Licout had taken Aaliyah's phone prompting the girl to push him and take her phone back Detectives say shots were fired at the vehicle as it drove away One of the bullets hit back-seat passenger Aaliyah in the head By the time Gonzalez arrived at the hospital Gonzalez said he has been unable to resume his day-to-day life and responsibilities Aaliyah also had a 5-year-old sister who has begun asking where her older sister is which the girl's family is having to learn to navigate "I know even if they catch him or he turns himself in just maybe to feel a little bit better," Gonzalez said The sheriff's office describes Licout as 6 feet tall and 200 pounds with hazel eyes and dark curly hair including one on his left hand designed to resemble a skeleton hand Anyone with information about Antonio Licout's whereabouts can contact the Collier County Sheriff's Office at 239-252-9300 The FBI arrested three Naples men as they plotted to kill the sibling of a man who hired them the United States Attorney's office reports with conspiracy to use a facility of interstate commerce to commit murder-for-hire and use of a facility of interstate commerce with intent to commit murder-for-hire each faces up to 10 years in federal prison More: Death investigation of Aaliyah Gonzalez is ongoing. Suspected killer is on the loose. According to the indictment and evidence presented in court Marquez Romero and Sabon Montero discussed over the phone killing an individual that Hernandez had identified for up to $30,000 Hernandez had been hired by the intended victims’ brother to carry out the plot and Hernandez exchanged phone calls and organized a meeting to discuss the murder the trio met in a grocery store parking lot in Naples where law enforcement apprehended them The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office For a Florida-style Cinco de Mayo celebration head to 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill at Compass Hotel By Margaritaville Naples and Unidos We have our neighbors to the southwest to thank for Cinco de Mayo Celebrating the remarkable 1862 victory of the Mexican Army over the French in the Battle of Puebla and the occasional battle re-enactment in Mexico As with most holidays in the United States the focus is squarely on the food and drink Any Mexican restaurant worth its margarita-rim salt will host a Cinco de Mayo party—cerveza For a Florida-style celebration, check out 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill at Compass Hotel By Margaritaville Naples. The festivities include complimentary salsa and chips with the order of a margarita flight. There will be festive music to enjoy as well. Unidos in Naples is commemorating the holiday If you can’t make a Cinco de Mayo celebration celebrate with your favorite salsa this month According to the National Calendar Day website options abound when it comes to this versatile and typically healthy culinary staple » CURRENT ISSUE » SUBSCRIBE Still looking for a place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year Grab your amigos and head to Mercato in Naples You can shop til you drop around all the local stores Mercato is home to before heading to the event lawn for festivities and Garganta and Sanctum Soul tribute bands The celebration moves to Rocco's Tacos at 10 p.m (Mercato Lawn, 9110 Strada Place, Naples, FL, 34108; 239-254-1080; experiencemercato.com) It took Pamela Vazquez nearly an hour-and-a-half to get from Naples to Fort Myers but she feels the time was well-spent to support the First Amendment and the LGBTQ community was among nearly two dozen prolr who gathered in front of the Old Lee County Courthouse to protest Naples city officials' permit denial to present the 2025 Pride Fest drag show argued against Naples' permit denial condemned in a federal lawsuit held signs with messages such as "drag is not a crime" and "pride saves lives." The City of Naples, Mayor Teresa Heitmann, Naples Police Chief Ciro Dominguez, Naples City Council members and Naples Police are listed as co-defendants in the discrimination lawsuit "I'm here to show our support for our people.. especially in the face of so much hate and anger from the other side," Vazquez said The lawsuit asks that the city issue a new permit restoring the ability to host an outdoor drag show; admit guilt for violating the First Amendment; and award Naples Pride with monetary damages as well as any additional relief the court deems just and proper A large portion of the group waited outside the federal courthouse as a judge was to rule on a motion to rescind the city's denial for Naples Pride's permit 'Jesus is king,' those who support city proclaimNearly as many counter-protesters also gathered at the scene They held signs with messages such as "Jesus is king" or "we will not accept grooming of our children." Counter-protesters held up signs touting LGBTQ+ rights as a "sin," at one point leading to a heated argument that caused at least four sheriff's deputies to approach and disperse a confrontation Those in favor of the city council decision declined to comment to an onsite reporter The lawsuit: Naples pride sues city over 'family-friendly' drag show permit for bringing us together," said Francisco Mayorga who was among those hoping the federal court would require Naples to approve the permits nearly four hours after protesters began to gather District Judge John Steele reserved ruling May 2 on whether Naples city officials violated First Amendment rights when they denied Naples Pride's permit "This isn't a drag case," said Callhan Soldavini Naples Pride has hosted its yearly festival at Cambier Park for the past eight years. The nonprofit volunteer-based organization offers a variety of resources such as housing services and support groups About a quarter of Naples Pride's annual budget comes from fundraising at Pride Fest "It's the government's duty to provide the security," Soldavini said "It would put a price tag on our free speech." both sides argued whether the city violated constitutional rights when council members denied the permit and security costs surrounding the event rose nearly 10-fold "This is not adult entertainment," said Joshua Goldman about the drag shows Goldman is representing Naples Pride in the case was modified to require that the drag-show performance be held indoors and attendance restricted to adults only Goldman argued the incurred costs are "viewpoint discrimination." "It's a traditional public forum," Goldman said adding that streets and parks are public forums "Any person can get a permit to hold an event at Cambier Park." Goldman argued that the event is planned "open to anyone" because "no one One of the arguments Friday morning surrounded security measures at the event Goldman said the organizers plan to put up fencing for the event as well as checking tickets "Naples Pride isn't suggesting protesters shouldn't come to the park," Goldman said adding that the city "mischaracterized the event." said the main concern is "security," adding that Naples Police follows a "holistic" security plan The $30,697.50 security fee Naples Pride must pay for an indoor drag performance makes up approximately two-thirds of the proceeds generated at the 2024 Pride Fest Jadon said "viewpoint" and the serving of alcohol are issues in the case Jadon says the city "has a right to charge SWAT services for large events." The city's attorney said it is a "dispute over money." "There's a tension between your best case practices and the right to free speech," Steele warned Jadon he said it is "unconstitutional" for the speaker to incur additional security costs and that the city "cannot change the analysis based on who the speaker is." "The city's legal position is a public record in its brief and statements in court," Odelsa Dickman "The city has the authority to grant special event permits on its property with reasonable conditions that ensures the safety of everyone Steele reserved ruling and said he expects to make a decision by May 9 less than a month before the event's June 7 scheduled date Andre Agassi and Anna Leigh Waters had a successful start at the US Open Pickleball Championships in Naples winning their opening round mixed pro doubles match on April 30 1-ranked female pickleball player in the world were pushed to three games by the unheralded teenage tandem of 16-year-old Tristan Dussault and 13-year-old Stevie Petrpouleas Agassi and Waters ran off four consecutive points with Agassi getting the game-winner to close out an 11-8 who was making his professional pickleball debut struggled at times in the early going with unforced errors Dussault and Petrpouleas made it a point to pepper the 55-year-old with shots while avoiding Waters Agassi and Waters settled down and avoided what would have been a monumental upset I was more nervous than a gypsy with a mortgage," Agassi said in a post-match interview with CBS Sports Network "This is a metaphor for life: choose your partners well." Southwest Florida honored the National Day of Prayer with hope and fulfillment May 1 with events in Naples and Fort Myers actor Kirk Cameron delivered a testimony of faith and resolve during his keynote address for the 2025 Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast at Hammond Stadium at Lee Health Sports Complex participants rounded out the day with an evening service at the Naples High School football field that included prayers from area church leaders and local elected officials along with musical entertainment The theme for the this year's Day of Prayer was “Pour Out to the God of Hope and Be Filled!” The theme is inspired by the Romans 15:13 verse: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope and by the power of the Holy Spirit.” optimism and courage that is blowing through our country right now,” Cameron said “As the ‘family of faith,’ we’ve got some air cover and we can make so much progress as the ground troops in God’s loving army of compassion – the family of faith – to move forward with truth and with goodness and with beauty and we should all take advantage of that opportunity.” who portrayed Mike Seaver in the 1980s sitcom “Growing Pains,” has since worked on faith and family-focused films including “Left Behind,” “Monumental,” “The Way of the Master” and “Fireproof more than 35,000 National Day of Prayer gatherings organized by about 40,000 volunteers throughout the United States with several million people participating the law was amended and signed by President Ronald Reagan permanently setting the date as the first Thursday of every May this event brings our community closer in a time of celebration president of Southwest Florida Community Prayer Breakfast and we were reminded of the importance of faith An Israeli couple was expelled from a restaurant in downtown Naples The incident was documented in a video that went viral on social media and was widely covered in the Italian press The tourists claimed that the incident began when they mentioned their Israeli origin to the owners of the restaurant "Taverna a Santa Chiara" and received a hostile response "We experienced antisemitism firsthand We never imagined this could happen in Naples a city that promotes freedom," said Moses who described the event as "embarrassing" and added that the couple is considering filing an official complaint saying that the confrontation erupted after the tourists spoke with other diners about Israel She intervened in the conversation to express her support for the campaign "Spazi Liberi dall'Apartheid Israeliana" (Free Spaces from Israeli Apartheid) and threatened me while filming," claimed the owner The incident sparked mixed reactions in Italy with some of the public condemning the restaurant's conduct and others expressing support for its political stance The event ignited a wide public debate in Italy about antisemitism and the implications of Israeli-Palestinian tensions on Israeli citizens in Europe Your heart will skip a few beats over a residential real estate sale in Naples for $225 million Three adjacent beachfront properties in exclusive Port Royal have sold for the combined price tag representing the priciest deal in Naples It sets a new and unfathomable benchmark that will be hard to surpass given its uniqueness The three properties – all on Gordon Drive ‒ span 15 acres The buyer has not been disclosed and is listed in warranty deed documents as the 2200 Gordon Drive Land Trust Michael McCumber of The McCumber Group at Gulf Coast International Properties brokered the sale validate how demand for “generational properties” continues in the most coveted neighborhood in Naples known for its waterfront estates and exceptional lifestyle The mega deal for the three properties comes on the heels of another sale of a Port Royal mansion for $85 million to billionaire and entrepreneur David Hoffmann and his wife They are well known philanthropists in Southwest Florida “Port Royal is undergoing a remarkable transformation with the $100 million reconstruction of its private beach club driving a new era of luxury living,” McCumber said in the release along with its right to membership in the Port Royal Club A new clubhouse is under construction to replace the one damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022 “In my opinion this is a one of a kind property that has no equal,” he said. The largest of the three properties in the middle, 2200 Gordon Drive, stretches more than 8.5 acres. The home encompasses more than 8,800 square feet with 11 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms. At the time of the listing, it was described as a “stunning masterpiece.” The house was built in 1986 and its living area was not damaged by Ian. “The existing home is one of the highest structures in Collier County on the beach at 16 ½ feet” McCumber said in 2023 as the listing agent. At the time of the listing, the residence at 2340 Gordon Drive spanned 6,000 square feet and was originally built in 1938, with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. The property encompasses 3.41 acres. The north parcel spans 3.07 acres and had a building on site when listed but not a residence. McCumber and Anthony Caraballo managed the in-house transaction with what they described as the utmost confidentiality to ensure the parties' privacy. Naples attorney Mark Price of Roetzel & Andress is legal counsel for the seller. McCumber leveraged global outreach and deep-rooted local relationships with a quiet marketing approach. The seller’s goal was to pass on their family estate to a new owner ready to leave their own mark on such a meaningful property. “It’s been an honor to facilitate this extraordinary transaction,” McCumber said. “With four decades of experience in Port Royal, I’m proud to continue shaping the future of this community, always upholding our emphasis on discretion, professionalism, and integrity.” Before the larger transaction closed, Hoffmann purchased the lavish residence at 575 Admiralty Parade West in Naples for $85 million. It was marketed privately by its co-listing agents. The Hoffmanns purchased the home as their new primary residence. They relocated from Illinois to Naples in 2015. His company, Hoffmann Family of Companies, is made up of more than 100 brands and has dozens of locations around the world. The business is now run by the couple’s two sons. Another Port Royal sale earlier this year was 3035 Fort Charles Drive for $43.1 million. The home spans more than 10,000 square feet. Another sale on Port Royal’s Rum Row in March went for $34 million. The neighborhood has long been known as a playground for the rich. He emphasizes the importance of supporting Cuban musical talent across all genres By The Cuban singer and songwriter Lenier Mesa once again showed his unconditional support for Oniel Bebeshito this weekend during the reggaeton artist's concert in Naples Lenier seized his moment on stage to deliver a strong hint at other Cuban artists: "The kid deserves it who was one of the special guests of the show along with Alex Duvall took to the stage to perform his hit "Papita frita," a song he shares with Tekashi 6ix9ine and Bebeshito himself The most talked-about moment of the night was not just the song but the unfiltered public support given to Bebeshito one of the most popular figures in the current Cuban urban genre as well as for reggaeton as a genre and part of Cuban music Lenier took the opportunity to deliver a broader message about the importance of supporting the talent from the island "I believe that what we should do is support Cuban music whether it's reggaeton or anything else; what matters is achieving great things Congratulations to my people in Cuba who are supporting Cuban music tonight," he added Bebeshito's concert in Naples was another outstanding success with sold-out tickets and an atmosphere filled with energy where the Cuban cast proved their strength both on and off the island once again Lenier Mesa supports Oniel Bebeshito because he believes that the young reggaeton artist has earned the success he is experiencing Lenier emphasized that Bebeshito deserves his triumph despite the criticisms and envy he faces from other artists Lenier sees in Bebeshito a talent that deserves to be supported and celebrated within the Cuban urban genre The concert by Bebeshito in Naples was a resounding success with tickets sold out and an atmosphere filled with energy The event showcased the strength of the Cuban talent in international music attracting an enthusiastic audience that sang along to the songs and celebrated the artist's talent The support of figures like Lenier Mesa and Alex Duvall added to the excitement of the night Lenier Mesa took advantage of the concert to deliver a strong message about Cuban music emphasizing the importance of supporting the island's talent regardless of the musical style Lenier stated that what matters is achieving great things in Cuban music whether in the reggaeton genre or any other style His message was well received by the audience Q: Any new information about the vacancies in “Bed Bath & Beyond Plaza” A: Four new businesses are coming to Ridgeport Plaza in North Naples which plans to share the vacated Bed Bath & Beyond anchor space with Golf Galaxy The more than 45,000-square-foot big-box store at 5351 Airport-Pulling Road will be divided for the two co-anchor tenants: a 24,491-square-foot Sprouts supermarket and a 20,780-square-foot Golf Galaxy retail store according to site improvement plans recorded this month by Collier County Growth Management Sprouts will take the northernmost unit created in that large space at Ridgeport Plaza the retail center on the northwest corner of Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads An opening date is still to be determined for the new Sprouts grocery store which will be slightly smaller than the Phoenix-based chain’s first regional location in North Naples That initial 29,843-square-foot store launched in 2019 to anchor Logan Landings at Logan Boulevard and Immokalee Road The new Golf Galaxy will be downsized considerably from its existing 35,355-square-foot freestanding building nearby in the Promenade at Naples Centre The retail chain plans to relocate less than a half-mile south on Airport-Pulling Road to the inline space in Ridgeport Plaza Owned and operated by Dick’s Sporting Goods Golf Galaxy promotes itself as the world’s largest golf superstore for golf clubs Plans show that Sprouts plans to file a variance request by May 5 to permit the supermarket to install a more than 380-square-foot wall sign where only 150 square feet is allowed by the county’s land development code The Sprouts name also is proposed for the main spot atop the monument signs at Ridgeport Plaza’s main entrances at both Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads A marketing brochure for the retail center promotes a color scheme change proposed for the plaza’s façade replacing the existing warm colors of its barrel roof tiles and painted stucco with grays and white could not be confirmed with the center’s owner doing business locally as Ridgeport Limited Partnership Q: Have you heard what’s going in the old Truist Bank spot at Ridgeport Plaza They have a dumpster and are working pretty hard A: Sanitas Medical Center is busy building out the freestanding outparcel space that formerly was a branch office for Truist and BB&T banks The new 4,780-square-foot medical center is expected to open this year at 5475 Airport-Pulling Road between McDonald’s drive-thru and Firestone Complete Auto Care Sanitas already operates regional locations on U.S 41 in North Naples and in Pebblebrooke Center on Collier Boulevard They are among nearly 70 locations throughout Florida with another eight centers in Nashville and Memphis The organization partners with Florida Blue and has medical centers offering primary care urgent care and laboratory and diagnostic services the health care company expanded into other Hispanic markets in the 1990s and into the United States in 2014 Fort Myers-based Sterilecare Naples LLC recently leased a 1,520-square-foot space for the future Purewell Pharmacy according to a real estate transaction negotiated by Tara L The compound pharmacy will build out a former fitness center unit at 5413 Airport-Pulling next door to Neapolitan Gourmet Italian Market & Deli Q: Do you know if they still plan on putting a Maple Street Biscuit Company in East Naples A: Restaurant Row Naples developer Charles B confirms that interior construction work is expected to start by the end of April on Maple Street Biscuit Co. which is still targeted to open this year on Collier Boulevard near its intersection with U.S Before the project’s permit expired April 15 a 90-day extension was requested earlier this month by Florida-based Kaneco Construction and granted by Collier County The 6,351-square-foot building will be split by Maple Street Biscuit and a TD Bank branch with drive-thru lanes The restaurant will have a 450-square-foot patio for outdoor dining on the southern side of the building along Triangle Boulevard the entrance into Freedom Square retail center It will be the first regional location for Maple Street Biscuit Co. known for its scratch-made Southern comfort food The nearest locations for the restaurant chain are in Pembroke Pines and Sarasota Two other multiunit buildings are planned for this second phase of Restaurant Row on Lely Resort commercial parcel 1R The “Tim Aten Knows” weekly column answers local questions from readers