Legacy Harbour Marina welcomes boaters back four years after Hurricane Ian

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Legacy Harbour Marina is back open and already welcoming boaters to its newly rebuilt docks.

The marina opened Wednesday after years of rebuilding following the damage Hurricane Ian caused in 2022.

Staff at the marina say the destruction was total.

"It was complete devastation. It was very hard to come to the marina the next day and see it completely destroyed," Legacy Harbour Marina Director Eric Ravenschlag said.

Crews cleaned up the damage and began construction in 2025, coming back with stronger breakwaters and taller pilings.

Five boats have already taken advantage of the soft opening, docking in one of the 131 boat slips.

One couple even drove their boat from Cape Coral just to return to their favorite spot.

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"It's one of our favorite local venues. The people are really nice. Nice new facilities. We've been waiting for four years since seeing and it's a nice, easy walk into town. So it's a nice local spot for us," Cape Coral boater Dave Heiden said.

The marina office also opened with restrooms and showers available for boaters.

Staff say they hope to fill the 13 acres of riverfront with boats, bringing money back to local businesses.

"They bring a significant amount of income money to the downtown Fort Myers. A lot of restaurants said they were off 30 percent in their revenue after all three marinas downtown were destroyed," said a staff member.

Boaters can reserve a slip online or by calling the marina office at (239) 320-8855.

Legacy Harbour Marina will host a grand opening in October and the neighboring restaurant, Nelly's Boatyard, will open in December.