Island time or red tape?: Fort Myers Beach reopens hotels while Sanibel struggles

>> FROM ABC, 7. THIS IS NEWS AT 6 IS UNTRUE. CHARLIE, SEVERAL OTHER STORMS AND >> DID A LOT OF DAMAGE. BUT THIS WAS LIKE NOTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN. >> IT'S BEEN 3 AND A HALF MONTHS SINCE 120 MILE PER HOUR WINDS RIPPED THROUGH BUSINESSES ON THE GULF COAST. HURRICANE MILTON CHANGE THE WAY ISLAND LIFE ON FORT MYERS BEACH AND SANIBEL. IT CAME AT A TIME WHEN THESE BUSINESSES WERE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM HURRICANE IAN. >> IT'S 74 ROOMS AND WE HAD ONE COTTON SAID TO THE NORTH AND TO THE PROPERTY. AND WE GOT HERE. THERE WAS THERE WAS THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT OF THAT CONCERT. >> AND TONIGHT, HOTELS ON SANIBEL AND FORT MYERS BEACH IS ARE FIGHTING TO GET YOU CHECKED THANK YOU FOR WATCHING ABC. 7 NEWS AT 6. I'M CHANNING FRAMPTON AND I'M GARY. FORT MYERS BEACH IS READY FOR ROOM SERVICE, BUT SANIBEL IS SLOW TO GET THOSE ROOMS BACK OPEN AND TURN OFF THESE A NO VACANCY SIGNS. KNOW RIGHT NOW ABC SEVEN'S UNIT TOMLINSON IS GIVING YOU MORE. >> AND THE ONGOING PROGRESS. >> HOTEL OWNERS WHO HAVE AN OPEN DOORS TELL ME THAT 2 BIG OBSTACLES ARE FINDING WORKERS AND WAITING FOR PERMITS. BUT I'M STANDING ON THE BALCONY HERE AT THE BEST WESTERN HOTEL THAT'S GETTING READY TO REOPEN. YOU CAN SEE THE GLORIOUS VIEW OF FORT MYERS BEACH, THE OWNER HERE TELLS ME THE FUTURE IS FINALLY LOOKING BRIGHT AGAIN. >> TO CHARLIE, SEVERAL OTHER STORMS AND DID A LOT OF DAMAGE. BUT THIS WAS LIKE NOTHING WE'VE EVER SEEN. PICTURES OF RIPPED UP WIRING AND FLOODED DRYWALL. YOU CAN TELL HURRICANE IAN DID A NUMBER ON THIS HOTEL HERE. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY. THE FINISHING TOUCHES ARE IN PLACE AND THE BEST WESTERN PLUS ON FORT MYERS BEACH AND THE OWNER TIM KNOW THAT TELLS ME THEY'LL BE READY FOR BOOKINGS NEXT MONTH. IT'S ROUNDING THE. >> ROUNDING THE CORNER. WE'RE ALMOST IT FEELS GREAT. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG. >> A LONG ROAD ONCE THIS RESORT OPENS MORE THAN 50% OF HOTEL ROOMS WILL BE BACK IN BUSINESS ON FORT MYERS BEACH, MARKING A MILESTONE OF PROGRESS SINCE IAN. STILL SOME VISITORS LIKE THE CROUCH RETURNING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE STORM EXPECTED TO SEE MORE THINK. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. >> MORE BUILT OUT. I JUST I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK, BUT IT'S BEEN ONE 18 MONTHS. MEANWHILE, THE PERCENTAGE OF HOTEL ROOMS BACK OPEN ON SANIBEL IS ONLY UP TO 20%. WE ASKED THE PRESIDENT OF THE SANIBEL CAPTIVA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, JOHN LAI. WHY ARE YOU THAT? BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALLER LOT OF TIMES. THERE'S LESS RESOURCES THEY'RE WAITING FOR THE INSURANCE TO COME IN BEFORE THEY CAN START LICE. AS SANIBEL IS WORKING ON CHANGES TO BUILDING CODE THAT WILL ALLOW FOR MORE PLACES TO WELCOME BACK. VISITORS FASTER GOT PLACES COMING ONLINE THAT. >> THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SINCE IAN, LIKE SUNDIAL, LIKE SANIBEL IN. >> LIKE JENSEN'S ON CAPTIVA CHALLENGE FOR BOTH SANIBEL AND FORT MYERS BEACH HOTELS HERE SAY THEY NEED MORE THINGS FOR VISITORS TO DO MORE. TOURISM BUSINESS

Fort Myers Beach is hitting a "major milestone" in its post-Hurricane Ian recovery — nearly 50% of its hotel rooms are back open.However, according to the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau's latest numbers, Sanibel remains far behind, with only 20% of its rooms available. While some are grateful for this progress, other visitors anticipated a quicker comeback after 27 months and question why it seems both islands are running on "island time" with recovery efforts.The Best Western Plus on Fort Myers Beach is scheduled to open next month, which will mean 74 more hotel rooms on the water. The resort's owner, Tim Malbon says the Best Western was right in the middle of a rennovation when Hurricane Ian slammed into the coast. Malbon lost his business, and nearly lost his home too."The whole lobby with the drywall in the top, all that was gutted out. It just blew through everything on the ground floor and just about the second floor," said Malbon. "It's rounding the corner, rounding the corner, and we're almost there. It feels great. You know, it's been a long, a long road." So why is Sanibel taking so much longer to recover? John Lai, president of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, says the answer isn’t simple."It's not apples to apples; we've got to open up 10 hotels or small inns and cottage properties to make that 100 rooms that they can get," said Lai. "I will tell you that because they're smaller, a lot of times there's less resources. They're waiting for the insurance to come in before they can start. The biggest challenge here that we have is insurance."Hotel owners tell ABC7 waiting for permits, finding workers, complying with new FEMA regulations and safety regulations have also been hurdles in their progress. Some on Sanibel, brought up the island's "outdated" land development code. "Sanibel has not built anything new in a very long time," said Lai. "There are some changes that, quite frankly, we need to make on the island that we're currently working on that right now." Lai is optimistic that Sanibel will soon catch up, noting that long-awaited reopenings, including the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa and Jensen’s on Captiva, are finally on the horizon.

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. —

Fort Myers Beach is hitting a "major milestone" in its post-Hurricane Ian recovery — nearly 50% of its hotel rooms are back open.

However, according to the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau's latest numbers, Sanibel remains far behind, with only 20% of its rooms available.

While some are grateful for this progress, other visitors anticipated a quicker comeback after 27 months and question why it seems both islands are running on "island time" with recovery efforts.

The Best Western Plus on Fort Myers Beach is scheduled to open next month, which will mean 74 more hotel rooms on the water. The resort's owner, Tim Malbon says the Best Western was right in the middle of a rennovation when Hurricane Ian slammed into the coast. Malbon lost his business, and nearly lost his home too.

"The whole lobby with the drywall in the top, all that was gutted out. It just blew through everything on the ground floor and just about the second floor," said Malbon. "It's rounding the corner, rounding the corner, and we're almost there. It feels great. You know, it's been a long, a long road."

So why is Sanibel taking so much longer to recover? John Lai, president of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, says the answer isn’t simple.

"It's not apples to apples; we've got to open up 10 hotels or small inns and cottage properties to make that 100 rooms that they can get," said Lai. "I will tell you that because they're smaller, a lot of times there's less resources. They're waiting for the insurance to come in before they can start. The biggest challenge here that we have is insurance."

Hotel owners tell ABC7 waiting for permits, finding workers, complying with new FEMA regulations and safety regulations have also been hurdles in their progress. Some on Sanibel, brought up the island's "outdated" land development code.

"Sanibel has not built anything new in a very long time," said Lai. "There are some changes that, quite frankly, we need to make on the island that we're currently working on that right now."

Lai is optimistic that Sanibel will soon catch up, noting that long-awaited reopenings, including the Sundial Beach Resort & Spa and Jensen’s on Captiva, are finally on the horizon.

Island time or red tape?: Fort Myers Beach reopens hotels while Sanibel struggles

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