Eye On: Bonita Springs

>>Several months back, at a luncheon of the Horizon Council, which advises Lee County commissioners on economic issues, Bonita Springs Mayor Ben Nelson sat next to the owner of a light industrial company that, at the time, was being courted by several cities and states. Thinking this was his lucky day, Nelson started to talk up Bonita Springs.

Not one to mince words, the business owner told Nelson about the perks North Carolina was willing to provide him, including a building and thousands of dollars for each resident he employed. Looking at Nelson questioningly, he asked what Bonita could offer. Dumbfounded, Nelson mumbled something about having nice weather. “I mean, what do you say to that?” he asks.

Then, after the business owner politely rejected Bonita as a possible location, Nelson’s pre-recorded speech boomed across the room, touting Bonita Springs as the “Gateway to the Gulf.” In that moment, Nelson’s mind filled with questions: How did this business owner see Bonita? What did he think about what he saw? “I had a full-blown municipal identity crisis on the spot,” Nelson says.

He left that meeting determined to find out the public’s perception of Bonita, to dispel myths and untruths about the area, and to create an organized movement that would help establish a defined and marketable image for the community. “Instead of playing everything by ear, we should be relying on a brand, and everything we do should keep that brand in mind,” Nelson says.

First he asked everyone, all the way down to his daughter’s boyfriend, one question: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Bonita? The responses were disappointing and discouraging. The majority said they see Bonita as the supplier of the region’s unskilled labor force, while a select few perceive it as a haven for the rich and elderly. Nelson was shocked. “We are getting a reputation that we don’t deserve,” he says. “What’s important is for us to be perceived for who we really are.”

But the question remained: Who is Bonita? To find out, Nelson resorted to statistical data and was surprised to find that Bonita Springs is not as diverse as he had believed. Of the 46,000 who call Bonita home, approximately 20 percent are Hispanic, and the remainder are white.

“I used to say that we are remarkably diverse, when in fact we are bi-ethnic,” he says. Knowing that Lee and Collier counties have a combined population of more than half a million, he couldn’t help but wonder how his city could possibly supply the region’s unskilled labor force and, more important, how it got that reputation.

The one perception that did hold true is about the rich and elderly. With a populace whose average age is 54, a high median income and a poverty level lower than most area cities, this characterization sticks.

Facts like these were presented at a branding workshop where members of the city council, the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and the community launched the process to develop a clear-cut image for Bonita. The first exercise for the 35 people in attendance was to share positive words that described the area, the most popular being “charming,” “natural,” “tropical,” “historic” and “destination.”

Participant Jose R. Lopez, a senior commercial appraiser and consultant for Chapman & Associates, as well as a chamber board member, thought it was a good start. “I don’t think the city has been able to define itself and have its own identity,” says the seven-year Bonita resident. “Having an image will give focus to what we do and what we want to accomplish.”

Originally from Lancaster, Pa., Lopez says it was Bonita’s friendly people and small-town feel that attracted him to relocate here. “We need to capitalize on that,” he says.

Mark Lewis, owner of Ascendant Wealth Management and a chamber board member, agreed. “Branding the city is a terrific idea,” he says. “The hope is that we can develop a distinct and succinct message of what Bonita is to help fuel the type of growth and quality of life we want.”

How do Nelson and the chamber define the type of growth and quality of life they want? That, too, will develop during the branding process.

The challenge is tying Bonita’s many features and attractions, from its beaches and parks to its gated communities and downtown, into one vision, notes Arleen Houston, the city’s special events and park coordinator.

With budgets being extremely tight, the city cannot afford to hire a company that specializes in branding campaigns. Instead, Nelson is hopeful that a partnership with the chamber will bring forth professionals who will volunteer their expertise and allow the community to fully embrace the brand. “We have remarkable people here and an incredible amount of talent to pull upon,” Nelson says.

Whatever develops will be the basis for the city’s future. “The ultimate goal is to create a general encompassing vision for the city that can aid the community and city council in the future,” explains Houston.

No one is sure how long the process will take, but Nelson believes it is as much about the journey as it is about the final product. Like individuals, communities occasionally need to stop and take stock of their life, progress and situation. “It is therapeutic,” he says.