The Boathouse looking to extend operating hours

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – A popular Cape Coral restaurant wants to stay open later.

The Boathouse at the Cape Coral Yacht Club, will go before city council Monday to ask permission to extend its hours one to two extra hours later, depending on the day.

The Boathouse says this will make more money for the city and it’s what guests want.  But some people who live right across the canal are worried this will ruin their piece of paradise.

Paul Perzyk lives right across the canal from The Boathouse. He’s one of a group of neighbors on Flamingo Drive that are a bit concerned.

“It’s going to be a problem because of the noise, it’s not only the band noise, the people that are over there that are hooting and hollering almost all the time after hours,” said Perzyk.

The restaurant, now celebrating six months of business, is open seven days a week until 10 p.m.

It wants to extend those hours until 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and midnight Friday through Sunday.

“We’ve tried to be as considerate as we can,” said General Manager Mickey Ferry, “We limit our live music hours to early evening, and that wouldn’t change if we were given the extra hour.”

Some who support the extended hours say it’s the Yacht Club Ballroom that neighbors are hearing, that is sometimes open until midnight, and full of hundreds of people at times.

“Most of the people coming here, from the area, have enjoyed what we do here,” said Ferry.

Other neighbors tell WINK News they would not mind the extended hours. But those concerned, like Perzyk, are also worried about safety as well as noise. “We know with extended hours the bad’s going to come, it’s only a matter of time. That’s whats going on there after hours. There’s a lot of drinking, they aren’t doing anything else,” he said.

A city notice was given to people who live near The Boathouse, telling them, the extended hours will be discussed at Cape Coral City Hall, 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8th.

People for, and against, the extension of hours will also be able to have a say.