Town of Fort Myers Beach Council votes against King’s proposal to sell former Town Hall property

Sep 15, 2026 By Nathan Mayberg 3 min read

The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council voted against a proposal by Councilmember John King to sell the old town hall property, while Mayor Dan Allers asked town staff to look into options for potentially privatizing the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus and Mound House operations.

The proposals took place during a budget hearing this past week.

King suggested the Town Council sell the old town hall property at 2525 Estero Boulevard, an idea he has raised before. King said the price of turning that property into a parking lot has gone up over the original estimates and noted the project still hasn’t been completed.

King said he was disappointed that project was never finished. King said the market value of the land has dropped, citing an assessment by the Lee County Appraiser for this year’s tax rolls that the value of the property was now $6.9 million, down from $10.4 million a year ago.

Mayor Dan Allers countered the proposal, saying the property had been appraised to be worth even more than that when a land swap with the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District was discussed.

“To sell on a downslide does not make a lot of sense,” Allers said. “Does it continue to go down? I don’t know. Who do you sell it to? Do you sell it to someone who then comes in with a Live Local Act and builds whatever they want to build there? We still don’t know where that goes?”

Allers said it doesn’t make sense to sell an asset at a point where the town may not be able to control what gets built there. Allers said the community there has previously opposed developments around that property, which could impact a residential canal behind there.

“There are too many unknowns to pull a lever there,” Allers said.

Safford said the town couldn’t put together a budget based on selling the property. “That’s not what I asked,” King said. King said the property was costing the town money.

Safford said there are other better revenue options.

Link said “I would never sell it in a down market.” Link said it would be a last resort for her.

The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council Voted 3-1 against King’s proposal to sell the land.

Privatize Bay Oaks, Mound House?

The Bay Oaks Recreational Campus. File photo by Nathan Mayberg

While Allers stood up for the former town hall property, he suggested the Town Council look at potentially privatizing operations at the Mound House, and Bay Oaks Recreational Campus, including the pool operations.

“It would be nice to see what that looks like to have it run by a third-party operator other than the town,” Allers said.

Allers said that he wanted to challenge town staff “to look at these additional cost-cutting controls.”

Allers said he hasn’t heard from anybody who wants to close Mound House or Bay Oaks, “but maybe there are some out there, but just to have an option to make these revenue neutral.”

Allers said he wants to see options from town staff to cut the funding gaps. “We will do that,” Town of Fort Myers Beach Manager Will McKannay said.

To reach Nathan Mayberg, please email nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com