Bass Pro Shops has acquired Cheeca Lodge & Spa, a long-established fishing and sporting resort destination in Islamorada in the Florida Keys, from Northwood Investors. JLL advised on the transaction. The resort was listed for $300 million in April by Northwood, which had owned and invested in the property over an extended period. Financial terms of the completed sale were not disclosed in the source material.
The resort spans 27 acres and includes 254 rooms. Over the past 15 years, Northwood has implemented a series of upgrades and expansions at Cheeca Lodge & Spa. These improvements include the addition of 43 premium oceanfront suites and 11 luxury casitas, as well as an oceanfront property component. Northwood has also invested in a 10,000 square foot conference center designed to support group and event business.
Further enhancements under Northwood’s ownership include a zero-entry oceanfront pool, paired with the adjacent tiki bar branded as 25 South. In addition, Northwood completed the acquisition of adjacent Casitas and Morada Bay properties across U.S. 1. Those adjacent holdings include Pierre’s Restaurant and associated retail shops, broadening the resort’s overall hospitality and retail offering in the immediate area.
Following the sale to Bass Pro Shops, Northwood Hospitality will continue to operate the 27-acre resort. This structure maintains continuity in on-site management and operations even as ownership transitions to a new corporate parent. The arrangement reflects the separation of ownership and operating roles often found in resort and hotel transactions.
Cheeca Lodge & Spa traces its roots back to 1946 and has developed a reputation as a notable destination for anglers and leisure travelers. Over the decades, the resort has hosted a range of high-profile guests, including U.S. presidents, athletes, authors, and sports figures. Among the well-known visitors noted in the source are President George H.W. Bush, President Harry Truman, Ernest Hemingway, Zane Grey, Ted Williams, and Jack Nicklaus.
The property also features a 9-hole par-3 golf course located on the resort grounds. This course was designed by Jack Nicklaus, adding a branded golf element to the broader recreational offering that includes fishing and other sporting activities. With its waterfront setting, mix of rooms, suites, and casitas, and ancillary amenities such as the conference center, pool, restaurant, and retail, Cheeca Lodge & Spa represents a sizable hospitality asset within the Florida Keys.
The acquisition by Bass Pro Shops brings the resort under the umbrella of a company known for its focus on outdoor recreation and sporting experiences. Meanwhile, Northwood’s prior capital investment and ongoing operating role through Northwood Hospitality position the asset for continued use as a high-profile resort destination under new ownership.
