Start at the Green Turtle Inn, 81219 Overseas Highway, at mile marker 81.2. At MM 81.5 on the bay side you reach World Wide Sportsman and the Islamorada Fish Company. Cheeca Lodge sits on the ocean side. At MM 82.1, on the north end of the Islander Resort's property, stands a two-story building that houses the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center. That whole stretch is less than a mile of highway, and as of this month Bass Pro Shops and a hospitality partner are bringing the resorts on it under one plan.
On October 14, 2026, Bass Pro Shops announced that it is partnering with Schulte Hospitality Group to acquire the Islander Resort and run it together with Cheeca Lodge. Bass Pro bought Cheeca in June. In the company's words, the two resorts "will join World Wide Sportsman Store & Marina to create a remarkable landmark adventure destination."
The only dollar figure in the announcement is a pledge. Bass Pro, founder Johnny Morris, Darryl Schulte and other donors committed $500,000 to the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center. The resorts themselves, by Bass Pro's own account, will "continue normal operations through the transition while plans are being developed." So the one sum named in the announcement went to a nonprofit museum that anyone can visit Tuesday through Sunday. For Green Turtle Beach, that museum is the part of the deal worth looking at first.
The Deal, by the Numbers Bass Pro Published
The scale explains why a museum pledge stands out. Cheeca Lodge has 254 rooms, suites and casitas, a 525-foot historic fishing pier and a 9-hole par-3 course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The Islander opened in 1951 and covers 24 acres, with 114 bungalows and suites plus 25 Bayside Villas. Bass Pro says the combined property will offer "almost a mile of pristine private beachfront, nearly 400 accommodations," five pools and "six unique dining experiences."
Neither company disclosed the financial terms. What did come out is who runs it. Joy Michelle Boyd, the Islander's current manager and president of the Florida Keys Resort & Lodging Association chapter, will lead both resorts. She reports to Debbie Bennett, who heads Bass Pro's Nature-Based Hospitality Division. The Keys Weekly report on the acquisition quoted Morris:
"We have great respect for the history of Islander Resort and the people who made it such a beloved destination."
The same release says what the $500,000 is for. The pledge, it says, celebrates "the people and places that have helped build the rich fishing heritage of Islamorada." The money comes from the company, its founder, its new partner and other donors together, and it goes to the building that tells Islamorada's history.
What Is Inside the Building at MM 82.1
The Discovery Center is a 7,500-square-foot museum on the north end of the Islander grounds at 82100 Overseas Highway. It is run by the Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and the Islander describes it as the only brick-and-mortar history and discovery museum in the Upper Keys.
The permanent exhibits on the first floor include:
- Legends of the Line
- First People
- Spanish Treasure Fleets
- Pirates, Wreckers and Salvagers
- Indian Key
- Henry Flagler's Over-Sea Railway
- Stories of the Upper Keys and the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane
- A coral reef section with three aquariums
The aquariums belong to the Coral Reef Exploration exhibit, a partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory that adds educational storyboards, interactive kiosks and video monitors about the reef and the pressures on it. Mote also runs the coral nursery at Bud N' Mary's Marina, a few miles south, so the reef story in this building connects to work happening nearby.
The second floor hosts rotating and touring exhibits. It also holds the Jerry Wilkinson Research Library and a 35-seat theater that shows documentaries on Flagler's railway and the 1935 hurricane. For anyone who has wondered what the Upper Keys looked like before and after 1935, the library and the theater are the most local resources in the building.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $15, $12.50 for visitors 55 and over and $6 for students. Military visitors get in free. Islander guests get half off general admission, so neighbors hosting out-of-town family at the resort can save a little on the visit.
The Cheapest Seat on the Mile Is a Wednesday Lecture
The fall lecture series is the easiest way into the museum. Each evening opens with a social hour at 5 p.m., and the talk starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 for non-members and free for members. By the time this post is published, the October 14 chefs panel and the October 28 ghost stories evening are over. Keys Weekly lists the two remaining fall talks:
| Date | Topic | Non-member ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, Nov. 11 | The 14th Colony: the American Revolution's best kept secret | $10 |
| Wednesday, Dec. 9 | The Florida sponge war: conflict between Key West and the Gulf towns | $10 |
Membership costs $75 a year for an individual, $125 for a dual, $175 for a family and $300 at the Premier level. Members get lecture admission, invitations to member-only events, an e-newsletter and a 10% discount at the shop. Premier raises the shop discount to 15% and adds discounts on paid programs. For a couple, the two remaining talks add up to $40 in tickets, against $125 for a dual membership. The membership makes sense for people who plan to keep coming after this fall. For anyone else, a $10 ticket and a 5 p.m. arrival is the simplest way to see the building and meet the people behind the pledge. Questions about the series go to [email protected] or 305-922-2237.
Dinner Before or After, Within the Same Mile
A lecture night has an obvious stop on the bay side on the way home. The Islamorada Fish Company is at 81532 Overseas Highway, MM 81.5. It serves 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Monday and Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Friday through Sunday. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Both fall lectures fall on Wednesdays, when the Fish Company is closed, so that pairing works better for a weekend museum visit.
Next door, World Wide Sportsman at 81576 Overseas Highway is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Its full-service bayside marina runs 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and offers custom fishing charters and a bait shop. In Bass Pro's plan, this marina becomes the launch point for guests from both resorts heading into Florida Bay, the Everglades and the Gulf Stream. A neighbor who already buys bait or books a charter there is using the hub of the new arrangement.
On the Islander side, the current venues are Drift on the Beach, Tides Beachside Bar, Coccoloba and Sandy's Bar. Coccoloba says it welcomes resort guests, families and locals by name. Its listed hours differ between pages on the resort site, so check the day before you plan a lunch around it.
Cheeca's dining lineup includes Atlantic's Edge, Mia Cucina, Nikai Sushi Bar & Restaurant, the Tiki Bar and 25 South. Cheeca's FAQ recommends booking ahead for Atlantic's Edge and Nikai. Anyone planning a birthday dinner there should call before counting on a table.
Back at MM 81.2, the Green Turtle Inn is open Tuesday through Sunday and takes reservations and online orders. It sits outside the Bass Pro mile, at its southern end.
What the Owners Have Said Stays the Same
For now the official word is continuity. Both resorts are operating normally, many key staff members from Cheeca and the Islander are being retained, and the stated goal is to "deepen the connection with the local community." The release also says "every effort will be made to retain much of the charm and character" of both properties. No renovation timeline has been announced. The $500,000 museum pledge is the one concrete commitment on record, and the next lecture in that building opens with a 5 p.m. social hour on Wednesday, November 11.
Living near the new Bass Pro mile changes what a short walk or a quick boat ride can reach, and that is the kind of detail we cover with every client looking at Upper Matecumbe and Plantation Key waterfront. If you want to talk through dockage, channel access or what sits within walking distance of a particular address, The Florida Keys Sold Sisters are glad to help. Start Your Island Home Search with a personal consultation.
