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History

History Worth Sharing
 
From vision to reality, Old Florida's finest resort tells a colorful and successful story. The tale includes two brothers, a pirate, some tasty
hot sauce and much more --- all from a little slice of paradise renowned across the world.
 
To truly understand what was the goal in developing Palm Island as it is today, was for one brother to carve out a place to call "home" for decades to come and to provide a diversified business that could sustain the personal involvement for decades to come for himself and family through future generations.
 
Palm Island Resort is the end result by a developer of land use that withstood the test of time for the generations of family.
It may very well be, one of the greatest examples of true entrepreneur in spirit and by intent.
1979 - 1982
 
  • Gar Beckstead purchases the world-famous Useppa Island Club for re-development
  • Dean Beckstead enters the picture. Together, the Beckstead brothers envision an island resort like no other and purchase the necessary land
  • Following the same traditions of the Useppa Island Club, the brothers seek to open Palm Island Resort as a place that will appeal to families, business meetings and anyone in search of relaxation
  • Planning, permitting and engineering occur
  • Infrastructure is put in place
1982
 
  • Construction begins within the Palm Island Village I area
1983
 
  • A fire in May destroys two buildings, delaying the arrival of the Resort's first guests until the Fall.
  • Palm Island Resort welcomed their first guest for Thanksgiving, 1983
  • During this time, owners and guests come to the Island on a boat, docking on the south end of the property
  • The first Palm Island Tram is started on the Resort 
1984
 
  • Island Harbor Resort (one of several names for the Resort until Palm Island Resort gained its solid foundation) launches regularly scheduled dinner cruises on a beautiful new 38' Chirs Craft. The privately catered charter takes guest to Useppa Island Club and north to the Captain's Club Restaurant on Manasota Key
  • Harbortown Inn and Marina, an Mainland all-suite inn on the Intracoastal Waterway, is built
  • Garfield's Restaurant is completed and overlooks the marina. The present building is Leverock's Restaurant and has been through several changes over the years to include being the Resort's Reception Center
  • The reception center named The Landing featured a bar, deli, general store and conference room. It becomes the center of activity for arriving and departing point for guests and home to the Resort's launch to/from the Island    
  • Island Harbor Resort unveils its new logo.
1986
 
  • CATS, a piano room at Garfields on the mainland, opens its doors. Dreamed and conceived by Gar Beckstead the new hot spot offers live entertainment, specialty drinks and a late night super menu.
     
  • CATS was ahead of it's time, and did not last very long. The relaxed west coast of Florida was not quite ready for a smooth and sexy piano bar to be open until 2 am.
1987
 
  • Construction takes place on Rum Bay, with plans to open in the Spring.
     
  • New conference center opens. Reservations are accepted from travel agents, corporate meeting planners and executives looking for a discreet, full-service meeting location.
     
  • Sea Palm unveils its new logo.
1988-1990
 
  • Expanded offerings become available, as the resort is built in stages from the south end to the north.
     
  • Beach Villas completed
     
  • Rum Bay Restaurant and General Store open. Garfield's Restaurant closes and becomes the resort's reception center and reservations office on the mainland.
1990
 
  • Land's End Cottages are completed.
     
  • The resort experiences even more growth. Dean Beckstead weighs in, saying, "Eight new homes may not sound like much. But when you consider the overall size of this project, eight homes continues a mini building boom."
     
  • Golf Cart rentals become available to guests, since no motor vehicles are allowed on the island except those needed to operate the resort.
     
  • Recreation Center and Rental Hut launch, offering guests of all ages with plenty of fun things to do.
1993
 
  • Expansion of the playground.
     
  • First single family home at Rum Cove.
1994
 
  • Nature Center officially opens.
     
  • Beach nourishment begins.
1996
 
  • Eco tours become available, offering guests a close-up view of the surrounding environment. Nature walks are guided by the resort's own Master Naturalist.
     
  • The resort unveils its new Palm Island One. Transporting guests to and from the island, the new bessel carries up to 71 passengers with ease and comfort.
     
  • Business is good! With real estate sales exceeding $5.5 million, it's the resort's best year to date.
     
  • The bright orange trolley starts running!
1998
 
  • Reception center and reservations office move to the island.
     
  • An additional luxury, the resort begins transporting owners and guests to the island by car ferry.
     
  • Business looks even better! A fabulous start to another year with 7 sales in the first quarter.
     
  • Johnny Leverock's Seafood opens, overlooking the marina.
1999
 
  • Redbeard the Pirate arrives! Englewood resident Randy Matthews dresses up as the soon-to-be-famous swashbuckler, starting one of Palm Island Resort's greatest traditions.
     
  • Construction takes place on the island, with three buildings offering four villas each. Four units are already sold during pre-construction.
     
  • New fitness facility opens, featuring cardio interval classes, water aerobics circuit training and more.
2002
 
  • Rum Bay launches its award-winning Swamp Sauce. 12-ounce bottles of the envied concoction begin selling for $3.99 at the Rum Bay General Store (now Coconut's Cafe).
2003
 
  • Palm Island Resort celebrates 20 years! To commemorate this milestone, the resort adds a new park area for quiet reflection and creates a time capsule to be opened in 2023.
2005
 
  • Construction of new Gulf Villas.
2007
 
  • The fourth annual Redbone Celebrity Slam Fishing Tournament nets over $72,000 to benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Almost 200 fish are caught during the 2-day event.
     
  • Clubhouse gets a facelift.
     
  • Palm Island resort and Lemon Bay Conservancy: Palm Island raises $72,000 for the "Toast to the Coast".
2008
 
  • Coconut's Cafe is named!
     
  • Recycling comes to Palm Island!
2010
 
  • Activities department is expanded, offering kayak tours, massages and family games.
     
  • First IPFW Students arrive for semester.
     
  • Coconut's Cafe expands menu, adding coffee and pastries.
2011
 
  • Dr. Beach visits Palm Island.
     
  • Palm Island Outfitters is added to the Activities Department.
     
  • Rum Bay Gift Shop refresh of merchandise, offering more beach attire and novelty items.
     
  • Dean and Gar Beckstead donate the piece of land at Thornton Key for environmental preservation.
     
  • First annual Owners Tennis Tournament
2013
 
  • Yet another milestone as Palm Island Resort celebrates 3o years! The island paradise features 160 condominiums/villas and 21 homes, with many more to come in the next few years!
2014
 
  • Leverock's outside dining refurbishment and inside bar expansion.
     
  • 20 year celebration of Tropical Nights.
     
  • Hidden Lake project for Lemon Bay Conservancy
     
  • Clubhouse Courtyard is completed.
     
  • Solar Golf Cart testing.
     
  • New massage room completed.
2017
 
  • Revamping of the Tennis Program through the retaining of PBI (Peter Burwash International) and welcomed USPTA's Elite Professional, Art Santos. 
  • Revamped the Marketing effort and branding with Wilson Creative Group out of Naples, Florida
  • Palm Island Marina was sold and is no longer part of our family of companies
  • A fall evacuation was an experience for all, due to Hurricane Irma. We faired exceptionally well and all is good. 
2018
 
  • A Great Year as we celebrated our 35th Anniversary with fun for all.
2020
 
  • We all had to learn to live with a new monster out in the world as we were on a roller coaster ride with the arrival of a pandemic. Covid-19 has changed the world in its way of business and socially. Many property owners stayed at the homes on the Resort rather than traveling back to their summer residents. Everyone; owners, family of owners and rental guests alike all felt safer at Palm Island than anywhere else.
 
  • Due to restaurants being restricted in seating capacity and pandemic safeguards, Palm Island Resort closed its Leverocks Restaurant in the summer and early fall to do a complete interior make-over. It's now crisp, clean and more in sync with the decor' trends. The new menu gets consistent high marks who have rediscovered it to be a dining selection of choice.
Lagniappe
la·gniappe /ˌlanˈyap
Something Given as a Bonus or Extra Gift