Jaycee Park has been open since April 30, and it still has no one running food and drinks there. The city's first concession agreement was terminated in March 2025, and the only bidder in the second round withdrew in June 2026. On October 5, the city started its third attempt to find an operator for the riverfront park at the end of Beach Parkway. Proposals are due November 5 at 2 p.m.
On a South Cape evening walk, the boardwalk is finished and lit, the splash pad is in, and the spot meant for a coffee or a cold drink is empty. The public record explains why. The concession is waiting on the park around it. Parking, programming and a planned boat dock all decide whether a food business there can make money, and none of them is settled.
What the Park Offers in Its First Fall
The city lists Jaycee Park at 11.8 acres. It has a lighted riverfront boardwalk, a large inclusive playground, a 5,000-square-foot splash pad, shaded picnic areas, a bandshell and beach volleyball courts. The project page also lists pathways with cooling misters, adult changing stations, and cornhole, pool and shuffleboard tables. It still calls the food truck court "coming soon."
Here's what the city has published about a regular visit:
- Hours: sunrise to 9 p.m. This is later than the sunset closing in the city's general park rules.
- Fishing: not allowed anywhere in the park, boardwalk included.
- Dogs: the citywide park rules bar animals from playgrounds, picnic areas, boardwalks and piers. The city points dog owners to Wagging Tails Dog Park at Rotary Park.
- Pavilions: the picnic pavilions have barbecue grills and can be reserved through the city.
- Parking: 126 on-site spaces, a figure from the most recent bidder's withdrawal letter.
The city's October calendar has no events at Jaycee Park. The 2026 Concert in the Park dates that have been posted were in February, March and April, at Four Freedoms Park, Crystal Lake Park and Cultural Park. The bandshell is built, but nothing is scheduled there. That empty schedule is also one of the reasons the concession talks broke down.
The Food Trucks Were a Stopgap
On August 14, the city brought in a rotating set of weekend food trucks: one food truck, one drink truck and one dessert truck. They parked in the court on the south side of the park, checked in Friday at noon and stayed open through Sunday evening during park hours. The lineup was scheduled "through September." The first weekend featured Dawg Pound, Lemonade Splash, and Happy Ice Cream by P3pillos Family, according to WINK.
We couldn't find any public notice extending the trucks into October. The city's October 5 release asks for a permanent operator, and the park's official profile still describes the food court as under development. Anyone planning an October visit around a food truck should check the city's announcements first.
Three Tries at One Concession
The food and beverage piece is a small part of what the Cape Coral Breeze put at roughly $19 million spent on the rebuild. It has still been hard to fill.
| Attempt | Proposed concept | How it ended |
|---|---|---|
| Reef Cape Coral LLC | "The Reef," a bar and concession stand with casual meals, snacks, alcohol and ice cream next to food trucks | Terminated in March 2025 after the city rejected a requested financing change and the $1,370,488 upfront payment was not remitted |
| The Kearns Restaurant Group | A bistro serving food and drinks, with live entertainment in a designated area | Proposal withdrawn June 6, 2026 |
| Third solicitation, 2026-RFP-CM-068-KR | Food and beverage service that fits the waterfront setting and park programming | Proposals due November 5, 2026, at 2 p.m. |
The second attempt is the most useful to look at closely. The Kearns Restaurant Group was the only bidder. Under the February term sheet, the operator would have had exclusive rights for 20 years, with a 10-year renewal option. It would also have finished the interior of a shell building the city built. The city's proposed terms were:
- a $75,000 annual minimum guarantee
- 4 percent of gross receipts in years 1 through 10
- 5 percent in years 11 through 20
- 5.5 percent during a renewal term
- repayment of about $1.065 million, with interest
On paper, the deal looked workable. Four months later, it was off.
What the Last Bidder Said
The Kearns Group explained its withdrawal in a letter to City Council, which the Cape Coral Breeze published in detail. The letter gives three reasons, and each one points back to the park itself.
The first was programming:
"Jaycee Park's long-term success depends on consistent programming that drives visitation and community engagement. Because the programming approach is still evolving, a significant portion of that responsibility would fall to the concessionaire, creating additional operational uncertainty."
The empty bandshell calendar is the reason this matters. A riverfront bistro on a weeknight in a city park depends on something bringing people in. As of this October, the city's calendar shows nothing scheduled there.
The second was parking. The letter says the 126 on-site spaces "may be insufficient during peak demand generated by the park's amenities and a restaurant/bar operation." It also points to the grand opening as evidence. For that May 9 event, the city held on-site spaces for guests with disabilities. Everyone else parked at five off-site lots and rode free shuttles to the park. That setup works for a one-day celebration. A business that needs steady weekend traffic can't count on it.
The third was the water. The city's planned boat slips and docking don't have a timeline yet. The letter calls a dock "a valuable enhancement, attracting visitors arriving by water." Without "greater certainty regarding approvals and development timelines," it says, the return can't be estimated. Elsewhere in the Cape, boats already bring customers to restaurants. Bimini Basin Seafood & Cocktails at Bimini Square opened with 42 dock-and-dine slips. Jaycee Park has the Caloosahatchee frontage but nowhere yet for a boat to tie up.
All of this adds up to the cost. The company estimated it would need to put in more than $2 million for acquisition, buildout, a liquor license, rent and operating expenses. It cited a smaller footprint, limited parking, no construction credit, and a business that depends on outdoor weather. The letter ends on a supportive note. It describes the company's president as a long-term Cape Coral resident who remains "supportive of efforts to create a successful outcome for Jaycee Park and the community it serves."
Two Visions for One Building
District 1 Councilmember Bill Steinke answered the Breeze by email. He said the two sides' objectives "weren't aligned." He also said the city never meant the space to be a full restaurant and bar. The goal was a smaller stop for people visiting the park, to go along with the food trucks.
That gap explains a lot. The 20-year exclusive term, the minimum guarantee and the seven-figure repayment are the kind of terms that fit a destination restaurant. A modest snack-and-drinks stand is a much smaller business. An operator considering the site has to choose one, and the costs and income are very different for each.
The new solicitation describes the goal this way: "an experienced operator that can provide a high-quality food and beverage experience for park visitors while complementing the park's waterfront setting, amenities, events, and community programming." That wording puts park visitors first and treats events and programming as something the park will have. The project page has said all along that City Council will decide future food and beverage plans.
What Happens After November 5
The full solicitation package is posted on the city's OpenGov procurement portal under project ID 2026-RFP-CM-068-KR. Late submissions will not be accepted. Whoever applies will be pricing the same 126 spaces, the same uncertain dock timeline and the same bandshell. The proposals should show whether operators see a small stand next to the food truck court as a viable business without those questions answered.
Until then, the park is still easy to use without a café. For an outdoor plan this month, the city's October calendar also lists a Full Moon Paddle and a Full Moon Walk at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve on October 26 at 6:15 p.m.
If you live in the South Cape and want to know how a park like Jaycee and the work still ahead along the river affect your street, I'm happy to talk it through. Reach out to Jennifer Rosenwald and let's connect over a walk on the boardwalk.
