Jimmy Buffett's legacy will live on through two Margaritaville-inspired hotels

Jimmy Buffett's legacy will live on in more ways than one in Southwest Florida.

Not just through his legendary music and his loyal fans, but through two Buffett-inspired hotels.

The race is still on to open them both by the end of the year: The fancier Margaritaville Resort on Fort Myers Beach and the more subdued Margaritaville Hotel in Naples.

While the hotel brand is named after Buffett's hit song "Margaritaville," he did not own it outright, but had a stake in it. There were hopes of an appearance or two in celebration of the local openings, which now have been dashed.

"This will not impact the Fort Myers Beach project. Jimmy never did fully commit to appear at our opening, but we always thought/hoped he would," said Robert Kisabeth, with TPI Hospitality, in an email.

The same goes for the Naples hotel.

TPI, a Minnesota-based developer and hotel management company, teamed up with Margaritaville Holdings, the owners of the Margaritaville brand, to build the resort and the hotel.

"It’s a tough day for the Margaritaville family and parrot heads around the world," Kisabeth said, within hours of learning about Buffett's death, at 76, late Friday.

“Jimmy passed away peacefully on the night of September 1st surrounded by his family, friends, music and dogs,” stated a post to Buffett’s website and social media pages. “He lived his life like a song till the very last breath and will be missed beyond measure by so many.”

The resort and hotel in Southwest Florida will be a way to honor his legacy, along with the larger collection of them, Kisabeth said.

"We will continue to honor Jimmy by delivering fun and escapism to our guests, consumers and community," he said. "Margaritaville is a state of mind, and Jimmy’s lyrics will continue to inspire everything we do."

With a new Buffett album set for release later this year, it will be another way to "further honor and celebrate his life," with the upcoming openings, Kisabeth said.

"Construction is going well," he said, with contractors doing a good job making up for lost time, due to Hurricane Ian's blow last year.

There are hopes of opening both the resort and the hotel in December.

"We encourage everyone to keep listening to his music and living the lifestyle, that is what he would want," Kisabeth said of the iconic singer.

While the exact opening dates are still uncertain, visitors can book the hotel or resort for stays beginning Feb. 1, 2024, a date that could be "moved up as appropriate," Kisabeth said.

For Fort Myers Beach, go to the MargaritavilleResorts.com website. For Naples, head to CompassHotel.com.

In the Know columnist Phil Fernandez, based at the Naples Daily News, contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Jimmy Buffett lives on through two Margaritaville-themed hotels in SWFL