Flamingo Lodge, the only major lodging facility in Everglades National Park, closed in 2005 after being trashed by two powerful hurricanes in 2005. It’ll be demolished now, and assuming that enough funds can be rounded up, it’ll be replaced with a hurricane-resistant lodging complex featuring a small hotel, cottages, and eco-tents.
For nearly half a century, an eclectic collection of boaters, fishermen, birders, nature photographers, hikers, swamp-trompers, canoeists, campers, and adventuresome people (including a smattering of Europeans) has driven 38 miles southwest into Everglades National Park from the park’s main entrance, ending up at the remote community of Flamingo on Florida Bay (see the map at this site). It’s as far south as you can drive in the park.
There is an amazing variety of fun things to do at Flamingo -- even backcountry boat rides and schooner sailing cruises.
Until a few years ago, lodging was available at the two story hotel, 24 cabins, and a campground. The venerable 103-room lodge (opened in 1959) and cabins were far from luxurious, but they were affordable and served their purpose. The rooms had air conditioning, which was perhaps luxury enough in the prevailingly hot and humid summer months. Most visitors came in the cooler months, of course, to avoid the worst heat and mosquitoes.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma -- the most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, and the third-costliest storm in U.S. history -- ravaged Flamingo with powerful winds and a nearly ten-foot storm surge. The hotel and cabins were damaged beyond repair. The cabins are already gone, and the lodge is scheduled for demolition.
This is not to say that Flamingo lacks visitor services. Camping is available, and Flamingo’s Mission 66 visitor center, marina/boat ramp, marina store, and gas station are all open for business. Xanterra Parks & Resorts operates the Flamingo Marina and provides associated services, including canoe, kayak, and motorboat rentals.
The National Park Service is eager to restore family-style hospitality services at Flamingo. Park attendance has declined significantly since 2005, and as you can well imagine, area businesses and governments are upset about the losses of income and tax revenues associated with reduced park visitation. Sport fishermen and birders lament the loss of convenient access to some of the best angling and birding in the southern states.
Unfortunately, putting a lodging complex and related amenities in place at Flamingo can’t be done easily or quickly.
Planning for a “new and improved” Flamingo has been going on for three years now. The result is a blueprint for a major makeover designed to make the Flamingo complex smaller, greener, and more hurricane-resistant. The key elements of Plan C (the full makeover) are a 30-room hotel, two dozen cottages, and 40 “eco-tents” for use in the cooler months.
Solar power will supply most of the complex’s electrical needs, and all of the structures will be elevated (stilt-mounted) above the reach of storm surges.
It all sounds pretty good, but there’s a rub. Executing this plan will cost an estimated $20 million, including $9 million for the hotel and cottages alone. Where will all this money come from? It’s been more than 30 years now since a national park lodge was built solely with federal funds.
Park planners and the advocacy NGOs working with them are well aware that they must think creatively, forge public-private partnership, and tap private sector funding if they are to follow through with the ambitious plans for a Flamingo makeover. Some Everglades advocates hope the park will be able to tap the National Park Centennial Fund.
Assuming that a deal can be worked out soon, even the rosiest scenarios don’t have a completed lodging complex in place at Flamingo for at least three to five years.
Comments
I was the GM at Flamingo Resort back in the mid-70's when we had lodge, restaurant, marina, gas station and housing for 150 employees. I visted South Florida in 2000 and was told there was little at Flamingo and sorry to hear that everything appeared to be lost in 2005. Many great memories of my 6 years living at Flamingo.
Are there any lodges in the Everglades? Not interested in camping. Thanks!
We also lived in Flamingo in the 70's and am wondering if we were there at the same time. My mom and her husband (Bob Hoffa) lived there for several seasons but me (Barb), my 2 younger sisters (Patty and Kimmie) and 1 older brother (Warren) lived there in 1973-1974. I believe the GM was Dan Tomlinson
I also lived in Flamingo in 73-74, i would love to hear from anyone that lived there at that time. email address is [email protected] or can be found on facebook barbara hotchkiss lee in Milwaukee, WI
My mom and I stayed at the Flamingo Lodge in the winter of 2003. She was quite elderly and camping was not an option for her. We had a wonderful week staying there, dining there, and touring the park. These are cherished memories since mom always wanted to do this and finally got the chance! I hope they rebuild the Flamingo Lodge so others, especially the elderly and the disabled, don't miss out on this beautiful national park.
i have sayed at the lodge several time great convienent spot miss the place wy not do a fund me site like alot of other project its a shame our govrernment think of our nat. parks with little regard these parks are for the people and they teach kids so much by being outdoors in nature everglades nat park is one of the largest under 1 border with no lodging at either end of parkeast or west side and no boat access at the west entrance or lodging except off site private
my Mother and her Husband worked at Flamingo Lodge for many years. and as a kid we lived at the employee dorms and went to school in Florida City and Homestead.There where seven kids that lived down in Flamingo at that time. The pool fence was put in with little doors so the coons could come and go and not break up the fence by Bob. Smart man.. My moms husband was head of the Maintance dept. his name was Bob Hoffa and my mom was head of housekeeping dept. her name was Marcie Hoffa. many good memories.. i used to help in the Kitchen when i was a kid and loved every min. of it.. My mom was the first to also drove the Tram when they started that. i would also go with her alot on them Tram Trips.. My mom and manager of Flamingo was in the freezer at the time of the hurricane.. when my mom told me about what she had seen when they came out she said all the birds and wild life was just so so sad... my mom loved her job and loved that place. that was her world... so sad to see the pictures of the pool and hotel area. i have many nice pictures and good memories though.
I worked at Flamingo as the Controller / AGM in the mid 80s. I knew your mom and dad quite well, met them right after I moved to Flamingo and my car broke down in Homestead. They gave me a ride back to Flamingo. I spent some time over at the maintnenace shop wiht Bob, Max Marchant, and Joel Strickland (and others).
Rick