Buying a recreation or entertainment business in Southwest Florida

• Several revenue sources: admissions plus parties, events, food and drink, and memberships. Each one gives visitors another reason to spend while they're there.
• Bookings that hold up outside peak tourist season, with a local customer base that returns.
• Rides, equipment, boats or a golf course in good condition, with records to prove it.
• Indoor or shaded options, so afternoon storms and summer heat don't empty the place.
• A secure lease or owned property, with zoning that fits the use.
• A strong group sales business: schools, companies, churches and birthday parties.
• A clean safety record and insurance at reasonable terms.
• A manager who runs the operation without the owner.

• Revenue by month for three years, to see swings from the seasons, weather and tourism.
• Revenue and margin by source: admissions, food and drink, parties, memberships.
• Every permit and license, who holds it, and what it takes to move it to you.
• Ride and equipment inspection records, accident reports, claims and lawsuits.
• Insurance cost and availability. Coverage can be hard to find for some attractions.
• For golf: course condition, irrigation system age, the water use permit's terms and transfer deadline, and maintenance equipment.
• For charters: vessel surveys, Coast Guard paperwork, captain arrangements, and any federal charter permits for fishing federal waters (some are limited in number, so ask how they transfer).
• The lease, or if the property is included, its value and condition, judged separately from the business.
• Hurricane damage history and how insurance handled it.

• What are your busiest and slowest months, and how big is the difference?
• Which parts of the business make the most money?
• What permits and licenses does the business run on, and who holds them?
• Have you had any injuries or claims, and how did you handle them?
• How do you find and keep seasonal staff?
• How much of your business is parties, groups and events?
• What major repairs or replacements are coming up in the next few years?

This region covers Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Sarasota and Manatee counties on the Gulf coast and Hendry, Glades and DeSoto inland: Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Venice, Bradenton, LaBelle, Clewiston, Moore Haven and Arcadia. The coastal economy runs on people who choose to live or spend the winter here: retirees, seasonal residents, and the construction, real estate, health care, financial and home services that follow them. Tourism, golf and boating add to it.

Inland, the economy is agricultural: sugarcane around Clewiston, citrus, cattle and vegetables, with Immokalee in Collier County a center for farm work. The building trades, pool, landscaping and pest control companies, property managers, medical and dental practices, and marine businesses tend to do well along the coast.

This is one of Florida's most seasonal markets. From roughly January through April, restaurants, shops and service companies run at full speed. Summers are slower, so look at monthly revenue, not only the yearly total. The coast has taken two major hurricanes in recent years: Ian came ashore at Cayo Costa in Lee County in September 2022, and Milton at Siesta Key in Sarasota County in October 2024. Rebuilding brought a wave of work for contractors that won't last forever, so ask how much recent revenue came from storm repairs. Insurance costs and flood zones weigh on every property.

Housing costs near the coast make hiring hard, especially around Naples. New communities east of Interstate 75 in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Manatee keep service companies busy.