Developers Getting Closer to Breaking Ground on Florida Everglades Resort - By Glenn Hasek
Developers including Florida Everglades Resort, LLC and the Seminole Tribe of Florida are in discussion with potential investors who would help raise $23 million for a unique eco-resort within the Florida Everglades.
The Florida Everglades Resort will be built on a 15-acre site (formerly a citrus grove) and within the 72,000-acre Seminole Reservation near Big Cypress. The site is located adjacent to Billie Swamp Safari, a 2,200-acre nature and wildlife park that already attracts more than 135,000 visitors per year.
Jupiter, Fla.-based Florida Everglades Resort, LLC is the result of a multi-year collaboration between EcoExperience Development, Inc. (EDI) and several hospitality and sustainability experts. EDI will serve as the general partner. Calibre Management Inc. (CMI) will be the operations partner. Targeted travelers will include mid to upscale adventurous, leisure and outdoor travelers with a special emphasis on nature-based tourism. The Florida Everglades Resort is scheduled to open in the spring of 2012. According to Wendall Collins, founder and CEO of EDI, ground could be broken on the project as early as the second quarter of this year.
Florida Everglades Resort, LLC has entered into a 50-year lease with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The company has rights to develop and use additional acreage outside the leased property for educational, learning experience program development and infrastructure. The goal of the developers is to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification and ISO 14001 certification.
Resort to be Constructed in Phases
The full-service resort will be built in phases. Phase I will provide a minimum of 150 guestrooms and suites, a signature restaurant with tree-level observatory lounge, a deli/bistro, a minimum of 4,000 square feet of conference facilities including board rooms, wellness/fitness center, gift areas, poolside bar and grill, water features and observatories throughout the property, educational programs, and recreational facilities. The primary focus is to design the resort to maximize efficiency while providing educational opportunities with minimal environmental impact.
Collins says the developers have been actively planning the resort for five years. The development team includes Calibre Management, Inc., MF[a] Architects, CPZ Architects, Inc., DeRose Consulting, Landscape Architect Collaborative, BelonSayre, LLC, among others. It is EDI
