A Florida Keys platform of 393 accommodations
Bass Pro Shops and Schulte Hospitality Group will run Cheeca Lodge and The Islander Resort as one platform in Islamorada. The two resorts carry 393 accommodations. Cheeca holds 254 rooms, suites and casitas. The Islander holds 114 bungalows and suites plus 25 Bayside Villas. The release rounds the total to nearly 400. It counts almost a mile of private beachfront, five pools and six dining experiences across the pair.
What each property brings
Cheeca adds a full-service spa, a 9-hole Jack Nicklaus-designed par-3 golf course, a 525-foot fishing pier, fitness and meeting space, tennis and pickleball courts and waterfront dining. The Islander sits on 24 acres with bungalows, oceanfront suites, poolside cabanas, watersports amenities and gathering space.
The Islander opened in 1951. Cheeca has served anglers and families across several generations.
World Wide Sportsman as the third leg
The release names World Wide Sportsman Store & Marina beside the two hotels. The store overlooks Florida Bay and gives guests direct access to the Everglades and the Gulf Stream. It serves as the launch point for guests of both resorts.
Johnny Morris on the two resorts
Morris founded Bass Pro Shops in 1972 in Springfield, Missouri. He sets the deal inside the Keys fishing community.
“We have great respect for the history of Islander Resort and the people who made it such a beloved destination,” he said in the release. He named Darryl Schulte and his team, and said the partnership will “help carry the story forward while preserving everything that makes this place so special.”
Half a million dollars for the Discovery Center
Bass Pro Shops, Morris, Darryl Schulte and other donors committed $500,000 to the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center. The center sits at The Islander Resort. The release ties the money to the captains, marinas, resorts and restaurants of Islamorada. It leaves the payment schedule open.
The June purchase behind the October announcement
Bass Pro Shops bought Cheeca Lodge in June 2026 through the same nature-based division, anchored by Big Cedar Lodge. The Islander came to market after that purchase. The release states that conversations between the two companies followed and that both sides saw a fit.
Bass Pro Shops published the October release on 14 October 2026. Hotel Online republished it on 15 October. The trade copy is a next-day reprint of the company's own text. It does not disclose financial terms.
The operator behind the two hotels
Schulte Hospitality Group publishes 250+ properties, 10K+ members, 30K+ keys, 40 states, five countries and 25 years on its homepage. The company is based in Louisville, Kentucky.
The appointment puts both resorts under one management company. Joy Michelle Boyd will lead both. She manages The Islander today and carries 25 years in the industry. Debbie Bennett, president of the Bass Pro Shops Nature-Based Hospitality Division, oversees the division from Big Cedar Lodge.
Both resorts continue normal operations through the transition. The release states that plans are being developed to enhance and unite the properties. No published source names a start date for that work, a capital figure, a design team or a shared flag.