Mariner's Boathouse reopens on Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (WINK)—A Fort Myers Beach property once left in ruins after Hurricane Ian is now back open, thanks to the people who refused to give up on it.

The Mariner's Boathouse and Beach Resort celebrated its grand reopening after timeshare owners banded together to raise money and rebuild. WINK News was there as the doors opened again with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"Oh, my God, it's so amazing I can cry. We're home," said Theresa Sevrence, a timeshare owner.

For many, this moment felt uncertain for a long time. Timeshare owner Dave Nordstrom said not much information was being released, and owners were frustrated about whether to pay the maintenance fees and whether they would be able to come back.

In October 2025, WINK News reported that the owners formed a nonprofit called Boathouse Strong, which has been raising money and rebuilding the property itself.

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"It was just a group effort for everybody, and it was a labor of love," Sevrence said.

From fundraising to rebuilding to showing up day after day, this was a project powered by passion.

"Today is just not about celebrating a property reopening. It's about celebrating perseverance. It's about celebrating a community that refused to let something so special slip away," said Cindy Hemmer, a timeshare owner.

That perseverance is on display every day, even in a pair of worn-out shoes now hanging inside as a symbol of determination. For the people here, this isn't just about rebuilding a structure but restoring a place they say feels like family and proving that even after devastation, this community can come back even stronger.

Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Scott Safford says it is a sign of a bigger recovery.

"Just the hard work and resiliency that these guys went through and the perseverance, it tells the story, and this beach is coming back block by block, room by room," Safford said.

For owners, the emotion is hard to describe.

"It's our home away from home, and we're just glad to be back," Nordstrom said.

"It feels really darn good to be here," Sevrence said. 

"It's just phenomenal what's happened here," Hemmer said.