Mainsail Lodging & Development Bringing New Waterfront Restaurant and Adventure Outpost to Downtown Fort Myers, Florida

Posted: May 16, 2017

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 FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 16, 2017) – During a May 15 meeting, the Fort Myers City Council officially accepted the recommendation from the City Selection Committee to move forward with Mainsail Lodging & Development, paving the way for the creation of Oxbow Bar & Grill, a new waterfront restaurant in downtown Fort Myers. Located in the city-owned pier building (1300 Hendry Street), the new restaurant development on the Caloosahatchee will also feature retail space and rental services including kayaks, paddleboards, motorized watercraft and bicycles for exploring downtown streets and waterways. The timeline has not been set, but Mainsail hopes to coordinate the construction and opening of the Oxbow project to coincide with the opening of the recently announced Luminary Hotel.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to take an integral role in making the city’s vision for a fully activated riverfront in downtown Fort Myers a reality,” said Joe Collier, president of Mainsail Lodging & Development. “As an independent restaurant, Oxbow will deliver an exceptional dining experience, but will also draw more people downtown to the water’s edge by offering an experiential component ideal for group activities, eco-tourism and adventure travel for visitors and locals alike.”

Inspired by its unique location on the Caloosahatchee, the casual 150-seat Oxbow Bar & Grill will offer both indoor and outdoor seating and menu selections such as fresh shrimp, oysters and other signature favorites, spanning seafood, craft sandwiches and steaks. Oxbow will also capture the wonder of the natural landscape and celebrate urban adventure by offering a watersports outfitter with kayak and paddleboard rentals, as well as a retail store for outdoor equipment, attire, accessories and destination souvenirs.

Oxbow is the latest in a flurry of recent Mainsail development projects in Fort Myers, including the recently unveiled 243-room Luminary Hotel & Co. and the rebranding of the Harborside Event Center. “There’s a lot going on in Fort Myers right now and we’re thrilled to be making a significant investment in the Pier Building as part of the transformation that’s taking place downtown,” added Joe Collier.

Mainsail Lodging & Development continues to expand its award-winning collection with two additional Florida properties – Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club on Anna Maria Island (summer 2017) and Fenway Hotel in Dunedin (early 2018). For more information, visit www.mainsailhotels.com.

About Mainsail Lodging & Development LLC

Mainsail Lodging & Development is a Tampa-based hospitality company that develops and operates lodging products in the Southeastern US and the Caribbean. Their properties include Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina (ScrubIsland.com), a private island resort in the British Virgin Islands and member of Autograph Collection® of Marriott International; Mainsail Beach Inn (MainsailBeachInn.com), a boutique beachfront hotel on Anna Maria Island, Florida; and the boutique food-focused Epicurean Hotel (EpicureanHotel.com) in Tampa, Florida. The company also operates corporate housing throughout the Southeast, exclusively managing the Florida market for Oakwood Worldwide® under both its ExecuStay® (ExecuStay.com) and Oakwood® (Oakwood.com) brands, while also operating ExecuStay (ExecuStay.com) in Georgia, portions of Alabama, and The Carolinas. Mainsail is developing their fourth hotel, Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club on Anna Maria Island, Florida, which is under construction and slated to open in the Summer of 2017. Two additional Florida hotels are planned for 2018 and 2019, respectively – Fenway Hotel in Dunedin and Luminary Hotel & Co. in Fort Myers. Mainsail Lodging’s corporate charity is Feeding Tampa Bay – the largest food rescue and distribution organization in the community. Mainsail actively supports the cause through a variety of employee and guest programs ranging from packing and sorting at the warehouse to annual events including Pumpkin Fight and Epic Chef Showdown.