Two delayed projects in South Fort Myers now share one stretch of the fall calendar. Gulf Harbour Yacht and Country Club planned to finish its clubhouse renovation by September 2026. It has been tracking at least 60 days behind and is aiming for early December. Down Old McGregor Boulevard, Roadhouse Café is coming back after closing in spring 2025, and its owners are hoping for early November. If both dates hold, the steakhouse reopens a few weeks before the clubhouse does.
A September Finish That Became December
The clubhouse plan was announced in February 2025. It was billed as a $19 million redesign and the last phase of a larger investment, with grand-reopening celebrations penciled in for November 2026. The club's renovation page describes it as the final phase of a $30 million program. It still promises an unveiling in "Winter 2026" without naming a day.
The board's own updates in the members' publication show how that window moved. Here is the sequence, drawn from the club's materials:
| Milestone | What the club said |
|---|---|
| Original announcement, February 2025 | Construction to begin June 2025; grand reopening celebrations planned for November 2026 |
| Actual start | Demolition and construction began July 7, 2025, after permitting delays |
| Original completion | September 2026 |
| Update #21, status as of February 10, 2026 | At least 60 days behind; completion estimated for early December 2026 |
| Update #23, labeled June 2026 | Goal of a soft opening for operations by early December |
Update #21 is unusually frank. It says progress from November 2025 through January 2026 fell short of the board's expectations. It cites unforeseen infrastructure conditions and design changes, and says the revised date leaves "little room for delays or missteps." It also reports the project within its cost budget, contingencies included.
Update #23 described steel, trusses and drywall going in across both levels. The windows were not due until mid-June, so plastic sheeting covered the openings, and the building was scheduled to be dried in by July 1. That update also brought in Curran Young Construction's Matt Taylor as project manager and Dan Porter as superintendent for what it called the "final 6-months."
That June update is the most recent public status available. As of today, October 12, the clubhouse has been under construction for more than fifteen months.
How the Club Is Feeding Members Until Then
The club set out interim arrangements for the construction period. According to the renovation page, they are:
- On the golf course: a portable kitchen run by a chef, near the halfway house
- Around tennis: dining near the tennis pavilion for meals before or after a match
- For social events: air-conditioned event spaces for formal dining and club functions
- Off campus: reciprocal dining with local clubs
Those arrangements cover golf rounds, tennis matches and scheduled events. They do not include a waterfront dining room or a regular bar. Reciprocal dining sends members to other clubs. The open-ended evening out falls to restaurants beyond the gate, and that is where the second project comes in.
Roadhouse Café, Version Two
Roadhouse Café opened in 2007 and became a fixture in south Fort Myers. It was located in Gulf Points Square off San Carlos Boulevard, and the News-Press reported at the time that April 30, 2025, would be its last day. In July 2026, the News-Press reported it would reopen, with the owners calling the comeback "Roadhouse 2.0."
The October 8 News-Press roundup of pending restaurant openings by Robyn George gives the new address. It is a space of more than 7,500 square feet in Miners Plaza, at 15501 Old McGregor Blvd. The same report says the owners partnered with longtime customers who had gotten engaged at the restaurant.
Owner Marc Neeley described the timeline to the News-Press in terms close to the club's:
"We're a bit behind the original schedule. However, we're hopeful for an early November opening. We're already getting calls from customers wanting to make reservations."
The News-Press noted that it was still too early to take reservations.
The plan is a near-replica of the original restaurant. The News-Press reports that the chandeliers and other original décor are being reused, the piano bar is returning, and the menu is "almost identical." That menu was built around steaks aged at least 28 days and fresh seafood, served with white-tablecloth service. About 90 percent of the staff are coming back.
The new space adds three features:
- Two private dining rooms, one of which can serve as a private event space
- An outdoor patio seating 48
- A bar that Neeley says is twice the size of the original
The restaurant's own website still lists the former San Carlos Boulevard address. The News-Press report is the reference for the new location.
Miners Plaza Already Has a Dinner Spot
Roadhouse is not the first restaurant to move into Miners Plaza recently. Echo Restaurant opened June 12, 2025, in the former Poppy's space off Old McGregor Boulevard, according to the News-Press. Its co-owners combined Kida's cooking with Giltner's pizza operation. The menu covers pasta, pizza, steak and seafood, and the restaurant is listed at 15501 Old McGregor Blvd., Unit 8.
If Roadhouse opens on schedule, the plaza will hold two full-service dinner restaurants at one address. One leans casual with pizza and pasta. The other is a jazz-club steakhouse with a piano bar and private rooms. With the clubhouse dining rooms still closed, the private rooms are the more notable addition: a place to book a group dinner or small celebration close to home this fall.
Farther north on McGregor Boulevard, near the Cape Coral Bridge, the News-Press reported that The Brew District opened October 2 in the former Taco Worx space. For dinner with a downtown setting, our look at the corner behind downtown Fort Myers' new dining district covers what is happening along First Street.
What Comes Back Inside the Gate
The off-campus stretch has an end date in view. The club's May 2026 progress photos label each new space. They include a new Waterside Grille, a new Waterside Bar, a new private dining room, the Harbourview Dining Room, the future home of the Harbourview lounge, a new pet-friendly terrace and a new smoking terrace. The February 2025 plan also called for an expanded terrace at the Waterside Grille and new indoor-outdoor bars.
The renovation page promises a 33 percent increase in seating capacity over the old clubhouse. It also describes covered outdoor terraces with nano-walls and climate control, multipurpose rooms for wine dinners and card groups, and expanded kitchens. The clubhouse is the last piece of a program that already delivered the 30,000-square-foot Wellness Center, the golf course redesigned by Kipp Schulties, the new tennis complex and the restored Eagle Perch Island.
When the clubhouse reopens, Gulf Harbour will have more seats of its own than it did before construction began. Roadhouse's private rooms and larger bar will be a short drive away on Old McGregor. On the current schedules, Roadhouse is aiming for early November and the clubhouse for a soft opening in early December. Both owners have already said publicly that they are behind their original plans.
For a deeper look at how the clubhouse investment fits into the community as a whole, our Gulf Harbour neighborhood guide covers the riverfront, the marina and the club in one place.
Club renovations can change how Gulf Harbour feels to live in, and they shape how a home there is presented when it comes to market. If you are weighing a sale or purchase around the clubhouse reopening, Abreu Group can walk you through how the project's timing fits your plans. Schedule a Private Consultation.
