New Margaritaville Location to Open Soon in Wake of Jimmy Buffett's Death

A brand new Margaritaville location will be opening soon in the wake of Jimmy Buffett's death. According to Buffett News, a Ft. Myers Beach, Florida Margaritaville resort is set to launch in November. The resort began construction in 2021 and still has some work to complete, but General Manager Dave Cesario previously told local news outlet Fox News 4 that he thinks "people realize how important it is now to get the hotel open and it's a symbol of the fact Fort Myers Beach is going to reopen and hopefully grow to the point where it was before."

The new Margaritaville resort news comes after Buffett — who founded the franchise based on his hit song of the same name — passed away earlier this month. In a message, reps for Buffett stated, "The beloved singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett passed away at his home in Sag Harbor, Long Island on Friday, September 1, 2023 surrounded by family and friends. Buffett, 76, had been fighting Merkel Cell Skin Cancer for four years. He continued to perform during treatment, playing his last show, a surprise appearance in Rhode Island, in early July."

"With a recording career that spanned more than fifty years and included hits such as 'Margaritaville,' 'Come Monday,' and 'It's Five O'Clock Somewhere,' Buffett was one of the most successful performers in popular music," the statement continued. "He filled arenas with fans who called themselves 'Parrot Heads,' and popularized a signature blend of folk, country and Caribbean music with lyrics that often reflected Buffett's world travels. A pilot and a sailor, Buffett wrote songs about his plane being shot at by Jamaican police ('Jamaica Mistaica'), getting lost in the Sahara Desert ('Buffet Hotel') and smugglers he had known around the Florida Gulf Coast ('A Pirate Looks at 40')."

The message added, "Buffett is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jane (Slagsvol) Buffett, his daughters Savannah Jane (Joshua) and Sarah Delaney, his son Cameron Marley (Lara), his grandson Marley Ray and devoted pack of dogs Lola, Kingston, Pepper, Rosie, Ajax and Kody. Also survived by his Montana sister, Laurie Buffett McGuane (Tom), their children Heather Hume, Anne Buffett McGuane, Maggie McGuane and Thomas McGuane IV; his Alabama sister, Lucy Buffett and daughters Mara Delaney Buffett O'Dwyer and Melanie Leigh Buffett; and many more wonderful cousins, nieces and nephews." 

Finally, Buffet's reps shared, "In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Jimmy Buffett's Foundation Singing for Change, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute or MD Anderson Cancer Center."