Sarasota County says Venice waterfront restaurant still too flooded to reopen after Hurricane Ian

Sarasota County Parks and recreation staff found the site around Snook Haven too flooded and cluttered by debris during an assessment this week, and said it's too soon to think about a timetable to reopen the popular riverfront restaurant and entertainment site beside the Myakka River.

The restaurant site at 5000 E. Venice Avenue was flooded by the Myakka by rains from Hurricane Ian.

Related: What will happen to Snook Haven after flooding from Ian?

“Though the Myakka River has receded, some of the site remains flooded,” Sarasota County spokeswoman Brianne Grant said in an email Wednesday morning. “Due to the amount of debris on the ground, damaged trees, damaged structures, and the need for additional assessments to occur, the site is not yet safe for public use at this time.”

She added that county staff will continue to monitor Snook Haven and begin initial debris cleanup.

“Throughout this process the public is discouraged from entering the park as debris management operations will be underway and not all safety concerns can be addressed immediately,” Grant wrote.

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Snook Haven has served as everything from a movie set to bootlegger outpost in the 1930s, before opening as a fish camp in 1948.

Venice Pier Group, the vendor hired by the county to operate concessions at the park – including food sales and canoe and kayak rentals – has less than 10 months left on its 10-year contract to operate the restaurant, which was built in 1958.

After the lease expires at the end of July, 2023, Sarasota County had plans to replace the existing restaurant with a new 1,500-square-foot food concession building and an open-air pavilion designed to maximize views of the Myakka River.

Justin Pachota, president of the Venice Pier Group –  which operates Sharky’s on the Pier and Fins at Sharky’s in Venice and Siesta Beach Eats at Siesta Public Beach – has previously said he will work with Sarasota County to reopen Snook Haven in whatever capacity it deems appropriate.

Currently, Snook Haven employees are working at existing Venice Pier Group restaurants.

Earle Kimel primarily covers south Sarasota County for the Herald-Tribune and can be reached at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to the Herald-Tribune.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Snook Haven still too flooded for proper assessment or safe access