Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples investing $8 million in expansion

Reporter: Gina Tomlinson Writer: Jack Lowenstein
Published:
Credit: WINK News.

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples is making an $8 million investment with its plans to build a new outdoor restaurant at the North Naples property.

Crews are making room for a bigger pool, a lazy river, a splash park and other amenities at the Ritz Spending. It will also add jobs when completed.

The hotel manager says it’s tricky.

”Did we question ourselves on doing this project right away or not? Yes we did,” manager Guillaume Benezech said. “But I think it is the right time to do it, considering the activity, the market, the economy.”

Hotel occupancy in Collier County is around 30% down from last year.

“Do our ladies and gentlemen work less than they did before? Yes,” Benezech said. “Do we have less people than before? Yes. Because we have lower occupancy.”

But says it looks positive moving forward.

“Business is coming back slowly but surely” Benezech said.

And hotels like the Ritz in North Naples are making big changes to adapt with the new normal. The hotel’s goal is to have the restaurant open around Thanksgiving, the aqua park by April 2021. It’s still being decided if the general public will be able to get pool passes.

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