July 2007 : Marco Eagle
Local Rural Market Opening Date Set

Developer Keith Basik has put a target date, November 2007, for the official opening of a rural market place containing 250 different booths and kiosks for small retail vendors.

An added attraction of the The Naples Big Cypress Market Place, will be a “hands-on” winery and an entertainment/expo venue.

Situated about four miles east of Collier Boulevard on U.S. 41, the market place will comprise 87,000 square feet under air conditioning.

In addition to the shopping area, Basik said, the venue will also include a 10,000 square foot arena, featuring a food court, a second floor mezzanine overlooking the market, and an entertainment area for special events.

Included among those events will likely be car shows, auctions, Big Band nights and even country line dancing, to provide what Basik says will be a blend of shopping and entertainment.

The special events will be held during normal Friday through Sunday business hours of operation as well as at night.

Outside groups or individuals will also be able to rent the arena area, as well as an expo area (14,000 square feet) for their own private functions, trade shows or exhibits.

“We have been talking to boat and marine organizations, home and garden exhibitor, and others,” Basik said.

Low rental costs for vendors could be one of Basik’s trump cards. One-year leases are required, but rentals are as low as between $350 and $650 a month — lessening the costs and potential risks of opening and operating a business within the complex, Basik said.

To date, he added, most food and produce areas, as well as a “good” portion of the standard vending space are spoken for.

An early Marco taker was John Nachef of Five Brothers Pizza, while two other area businesses going in are Subway and Taco Ardiente, said Bruno Kujat, the project’s merchant coordinator.

The winery notion will likely be a big attraction for Marco Island and Naples aficionados, Basic reckons.

The idea is that a business will import grapes from various parts of the world, and help customers to make their own wine. They will help the customers crush and de-stem their own grapes, as well as assist them with the fermentation, barreling, bottling process.

Considering the market’s proximity to a part of U.S. 41 that was recently declared a National Scenic Highway, Basik is also incorporating a little local historical culture into the project. Parts, he said, will reflect the building of the Tamiami Trail, the influences of the Seminole Indians, and also the allure of the Everglades, he said.

Basik Development has also built commercial, industrial and residential projects in Naples and Fort Myers. Most recently they completed a muchpublicized 23-home residential, gated community, Hemingway Place, just off Goodlette Road in Naples.

For further information, contact Basik Development at 262-3210