Bringing business to downtown Fort Myers

We’re getting a look at one of the big events promised with the opening of the remodeled Caloosa Sound Convention Center in downtown Fort Myers.

Mayor Kevin Anderson said that once the pandemic is behind us, he expects the convention center to get a lot more use.

The center and the Luminary Hotel have already brought people to Fort Myers. The next big event to bring people in will be the River District Rumble Cheer & Dance Competition, planned for May 22.

The event’s Facebook page has already posted about downtown businesses, telling people to check them out while in town.

“That’s all good news for downtown because not only does it mean hotel nights, it means people eating at our local restaurants, spending money in our community. But, also it introduces Fort Myers to people who may have never been here,” Anderson said.

Bringing big events back to downtown Fort Myers is welcome news to businesses that struggled during the pandemic.

“I hope it will help us because everyone needs money. It’s just normal. We have to pay our employees, and if we want to be quick and just good, we have to have enough people because we don’t want people to stay in the line and wait. We want to do a good service,” said Sidonia Cernajova, owner of Java House.

Anderson said the upcoming cheer competition is a great example of how the convention center will boost our economy and put Fort Myers on the map.

Also, the city council on Monday will discuss the contract for the planned Centennial Park Amphitheater.