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Retail Line-Up, Hospitality, Entertainment Announced for The Forum at Fort Myers
8/8/2007
FORT MYERS, FL — The Forum at Fort Myers (www.forumatfortmyers.com) is coming to fruition. The initial retail line-up is set and more than 71 acres of hospitality and entertainment development is primed to join more than 1,162 residential units and 475,000 square feet of office space already completed or underway at Lee County’s premier, mixed-use community.
Target, Best Buy, Ross Dress for Less and Staples will join The Home Depot at the 480,000-square foot retail center, situated on 43 acres in the northeast corner of the I-75 and Colonial Boulevard interchange. Developed by North American Properties, the $60 million power center will also include an additional three, soon-to-be-announced, big box retailers, 50,000 square feet of small shop and restaurant space and several outparcels. The shopping destination is scheduled to open summer 2008.
The following entertainment and hospitality developments are underway:
>> Putting Zone will introduce Southwest Florida to a revolutionary indoor golf entertainment complex. The company recently closed on 10 acres along the northern border of the development’s entertainment district.
>> Holiday Inn Express recently closed on 2.78 acres along Colonial Boulevard at the southeast corner of the Forum community. The six story 110-room hotel is scheduled to open in June 2008.
The Forum at Fort Myers is also negotiating with Southern Theater, two additional national hotel chains as well as an office developer. When completed in 2010, the 706-acre, master-planned, mixed-use community will bring one million square feet of retail, 250,000 square feet of entertainment, 850,000 square feet of office space, 1,300 residential units and over 550 hotel rooms to the Southwest Florida hotbed.
“Demographics are ideal for retail, restaurants and entertainment,” explains David Rattner, vice president of development, North American Properties. “Over 100,000 shoppers with disposable income reside within three miles of The Forum at Fort Myers, and the average annual household income in the primary trade area, the southeast quadrant east of I-75, exceeds $100,000. East Fort Myers is one of the many underserved markets in this region with a strong population base and high incomes that justify another lifestyle destination.”
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