Update: Demolition was executed as scheduled. I am so glad I managed to document this waymark before demolition. I'm sorry that it is no longer available for visits.
The Ship was built in 1995 as a faux Spanish galleon with a pirate theme. It was originally an addition to the Springs Garden restaurant. It has gone by many names over the years including the Landmark Ship, the Bonita Chop House, Bogert's Chop House, the Bonita Rib Room and Club Royale, and the VIP Club Bonita. The ship bears the name of Tony Franco on its hull. The restaurant has been closed since around 2006.
It’s safe to say everyone in the Fort Myers-Naples area knows The Ship and they often use it as a point of reference for driving directions to Bonita Springs.
Rob Fowler Jr., the president and chief operating officer of Fowler Construction, built The Ship in 1995 off a set of authentic plans for a 16th century Spanish galleon. At the time, the three-mast ship was a $1 million project.
Fowler says every detail of The Ship was an accurate replica of a Spanish treasure ship, including the yellow and red stripes painted on its side. This was an optical illusion used by Spanish sailors to ward off pirates because they looked like canon portholes from a great distance, he says.
The 4,000-square-foot wood galleon sits on top of a 10,000-square-foot building that once housed an upscale restaurant with seating capacity for 250 people. Later, the place became a bingo parlor and nightclub, but it’s been empty since about 2006.
The treasure ship’s name is The Troy-Franco, the names of the owner’s two sons. It even has a moat that can be filled with water to give the illusion that the ship is floating.
During the real estate boom, the property was listed for $4 million. It includes 3.62 acres and a single-family home in the rear of the property. Today, the property is listed for $1.75 million, but an investor has the option to buy The Ship and the parking lot for $1.25 million. Treasure not included.
For a picture postcard image of The Ship in it's full glory (circa 1996) see Bonita Beach Pirate Ship