For nearly 20 years, Opera Naples board members Livio Ferrari and Jerry Goldberg have dreamed of a permanent home for the opera company. Now, a potential site on Bayshore Drive, plans for an outdoor pavilion and a vision for a 700- to 900-seat theater are bringing that dream closer. But securing the land, raising millions and navigating construction costs could take years — and the two men know it.
The Naples gala circuit is evolving. NCH and St. Matthew’s House are replacing large fundraising dinners with more intimate gatherings, while Naples Art Institute and STARability are finding ways to keep their signature events fresh. Naples Cancer Advisors is trying something entirely different: a chance for donors to win $1 million with a hole-in-one. The shift reflects a growing focus on meaningful donor relationships, even as traditional galas continue to generate record contributions.
How much exclusivity can Naples afford? With initiation fees topping $100,000, private clubs are multiplying across the luxury market. Some operators see an untapped gold mine. Others warn the competition for wealthy members could become a costly game of musical chairs.
A Moose lodge cheeseburger, Sea Salt crab cakes and BrickTop’s ribs: Collier Community Foundation CEO Eileen Connolly-Keesler shares the three Naples places she and her husband return to, from an unpretentious hidden gem to longtime favorites.
Millions in real estate. Rents doubling. Longtime shops moving out. M Development’s push into downtown Naples has brought a wave of lease disputes and lawsuits to Fifth Avenue South. Is the city’s signature shopping street losing the character that made it valuable?
Naples billionaire David Hoffmann now owns both luxury clubs Collier Enterprises sold in 2021. His family’s company has acquired Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club, a 325-vessel marina, five years after buying Old Collier Golf Club.
Two Naples business partners were sentenced to 15 months each in federal prison for stealing $536,200 in a pandemic-era medical glove scheme. Prosecutors said the men took payment for thousands of boxes of gloves that were never delivered.
Naples’ Fifth Avenue South is changing as M Development brings new retailers to the shopping district. Longtime businesses are relocating or closing amid lease changes and rising rents, raising questions about the future of downtown’s independent shops.
Meg Stepanian
A gutted Fifth Avenue South building in Naples has sat unfinished for more than a year as plans for two new restaurants face permitting delays. The owners hope to resume construction this fall, with Riva Mediterranean and Zanu Sushi Bar now targeting 2027 openings.
