Chamber Announces Visitor Center Reopening, New Grant-Funded Position

provided to The Santiva Chronicle

After eight months of cleaning, restoring, and reinventing, the Francis P. Bailey, Jr., Chamber Visitor Center and chamber offices will officially reopen on Tuesday, June 6. A 4 p.m. ribbon-cutting will celebrate the occasion, and everyone is invited to enjoy noshes, refreshments, and a tour of the newly restored facilities.

“Visitors will find a new version of the downstairs welcome center with comfortable meeting spaces for our members, sponsored by Clive Daniel Home, and the same visual and digital promotional tools for visitors,” said John Lai, chamber president and CEO. “Come meet our terrific staff, including a new position – but certainly not a new face. Alex Bustamante, who has served for years as lead for our annual visitor’s guide, has accepted the role as member services coordinator.”

The one-year position was made possible by a grant from Charitable Foundation of the Islands. The initial focus will be to assist businesses access the $20,000 in grants from the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA), distributed from a $3 million state grant to bolster the hospitality industry after Hurricane Ian.

“Alex already has great connectivity with the SanCap business community,” said Lai. “She’s perfect for the position, which is meant to match island businesses and the community with available hurricane-recovery resources.”

Bustamante will be available on a case-by-case basis to advise chamber members on what grants might be open to them and how to write grant applications.

ABOUT SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SanCap Chamber is dedicated to promoting the prosperity of its members and preserving the quality of life of our community. With more than 460 active Chamber members from both islands and businesses from Lee and Collier counties, the Chamber plays a key role in facilitating communication and cooperation between business, residents, and government to enhance the economic health of the islands. The Francis P. Bailey, Jr., Chamber Visitor Center is located at the entrance to Sanibel Island and has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors each year. VISIT FLORIDA named the visitor center one of 13 official Florida Certified Tourism Information Centers in the state. It provides comprehensive information about things to do, places to visit, and where to stay, shop, and dine. The chamber website sanibel-captiva.org receives more than 1.3 million website visits per year. For more information about the chamber, contact John Lai, president and CEO, at 239-472-2348 or John@sanibel-captiva.org.