FORT MYERS, Fla. — Fort Myers city council will confirm the proposal rankings for the Fort Myers Country Club Restaurant lease, currently the Edison Restaurant.
Since the Edison Restaurant lease is up, the city council ranked three proposals for the building’s future.
The Edison hosted neighborhood open house meetings this past week to receive public input on the possibilities.
Deanna Breen lives nearby. She said, “McGregor is just that Florida old charm, so we want to keep it that way. We don’t want these big, huge name restaurants coming in. We want to keep it that mom and pop feel.”
On Aug 4, the city council ranked the proposal with 23 Restaurants at the top, followed by the Edison Tavern and lastly Stillwater Grill.
23 Restaurant proposes a new building and a twenty-seven-hole outdoor putting green.
Edison Tavern’s plan calls for a renovation, and Stillwater Grille is another local restaurant expansion.
If the city council approves its current ranking, The Edison Restaurant’s future is unclear.
“We don’t know what’s next. We are hoping we get to stay. We get to go under renovations. We get to save the culture of Fort Myers and keep this building. Especially after we lost everything on the beach. Let's keep something original,” said their bartender Michelle Westman.
And if the restaurant goes, Breen added, “I’m worried honestly it’ll just force us out at some point.”
Fort Myers resident Joanne Miller said, “This a landmark, you know. You go down McGregor and as soon as you get to here you know exactly where you are.”
Both Breen and Miller said they plan on attending Monday’s meeting.
Fort Myers city council will meet at 4:30 p.m. Monday to confirm the proposal ranking.
