Edison Restaurant’s future discussed at Monday’s meeting in Fort Myers

Reporter: Jolena Esperto Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
Edison Restaurant
The Edison Restaurant. CREDIT: WINK News

A meeting on the future of the Edison Restaurant starts at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Although, WINK News learned that one of the businesses vying to take over the space has pulled out.

The 23 Restaurants group sent the city a letter Monday morning backing out.

Paige Rausch, who grew up with the golf course where the restaurant sits in her backyard, wants to ensure the Edison Restaurant Country Club and Golf Course are all up to par. However, she surely doesn’t want to change it.

“I think hearing the pleas of the citizens, the people that are the heart of Fort Myers, the nearly begged, there were tears that were shed over there in the last couple of weeks as this decision has been made announced. And that we kind of knew what possibly could be the fate of our ark, our home,” said Rausch.

WINK News talked with a few people who live near or on the golf course and across the street from the Edison Restaurant. While some don’t necessarily have a preference for any of it, some don’t want to see the restaurant go.

“Make sure it’s safe and just get a chef in there that knows how to cook,” said Chris Gair.

“Very nice course. Why mess with it?” a golfer asked.

Rausch told WINK News she is thankful she and the rest of her community have the opportunity to put their two cents in. She agrees with the president of 23 Restaurant Services, who told the city, “The financial commitment we were going to make would only make sense in an environment where we have universal support from both the local residents and community leadership.”

“What an honorable thing for him to have done at this stage after it looked like the points tally was in their favor,” said Rausch. “So for him to have made this very difficult decision, it was nothing but its pure integrity and also to respect for what he was about ready to enter into, which would have changed the golf course.”

There are two other groups still in play. WINK News will be at the city council meeting Monday afternoon to see what happens next.

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