Darden Restaurants to rebrand Bahama Breeze in south Fort Myers

Darden Restaurants plans to close half of its remaining 28 locations of Bahama Breeze, while converting the other 14 — including its longtime restaurant in south Fort Myers — to another one if its brands.

The Florida-based restaurant group hasn’t announced which of its dining concepts the Bahama Breeze at 14701 S. Tamiami Trail would become in about a year, but its other popular brands include Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, as well as The Capital Grille, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Chuy’s, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Seasons 52 and Yard House.

In Florida, other Bahama Breeze locations that will be converted include those in Altamonte Springs, Brandon, Kissimmee, Lutz, Tampa and four in Orlando; while other restaurants in Jacksonville, Kissimmee, Miami, Pembroke Pines and Sanford will be permanently closed April 5.

Last May, the chain permanently closed 15 locations of its Caribbean-inspired dining concept, which included the Bahama Breeze that operated for less than a year at Coastland Center mall in Naples.