Bass Pro Shops Buys Iconic Cheeca Lodge

The Islamorada property joins other destination resorts in the Johnny Morris portfolio including the under-development Valhalla Resort in Marathon become part of an expanding hospitality portfolio.

The iconic Cheeca Lodge was sold to Bass Pro Shops owner Johnny Morris. It increases his footprint in the Florida Keys and leaves the Sugarloaf Lodge as one of the last “Golden Age” resports in the Florida Keys. It was listed earlier this year. / CHEECALODGE.COM

ISLAMORADA, Fla. — Bass Pro Shops founder and owner of World Wide Sportsman, Johnny Morris, has acquired the landmark Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada, bringing one of the Florida Keys’ most recognizable luxury fishing destinations into the company’s expanding collection of resorts and outdoor recreation properties.

The acquisition, announced June 16, adds the 250-room oceanfront resort to a hospitality portfolio that already includes Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri and the planned Valhalla Island Resort development between Marathon and Islamorada.

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Cheeca Lodge Listed As Florida Keys Trophy Asset Amid Wave Of Resort Sales

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Cheeca Lodge has long been considered one of the premier sportfishing destinations in the Florida Keys, hosting major tournaments including the Presidential Sailfish Tournament and serving as a centerpiece of Islamorada’s tourism economy.

The sale — for an undisclosed amount — follows reports earlier this year that the property had been listed for approximately $300 million.

Outdoor Retail giant and billionaire Johnny Morris, announces plans to develop Valhalla Island Resort. Left to right: Florida DEO Sec. Dane Eagle, Morris, Gov. DeSantis, and Rep. Jim Mooney

The acquisition significantly expands Morris’ presence in the Keys, where he has spent years assembling properties and advancing plans for Valhalla Island Resort, a 175-acre nature-based destination marketed as the largest resort property in the Florida Keys. Plans for that project include waterfront cottages, a lodge, marina facilities, restaurants and fishing-focused amenities. It will be the largest resort property in the Keys.

Morris’ hospitality holdings are centered around his Johnny Morris Nature Resorts collection, led by Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri’s Ozarks. The resort includes multiple nationally recognized golf courses, luxury lodging and outdoor recreation facilities.

Other major destinations associated with Morris and Bass Pro’s hospitality operations include Top of the Rock, Payne’s Valley Golf Course, Buffalo Ridge Springs Golf Course, Dogwood Canyon Nature Park and several vacation ownership properties surrounding Big Cedar Lodge.

The purchase of Cheeca gives Bass Pro immediate ownership of one of Florida’s most established luxury resort brands while complementing the company’s broader strategy of combining outdoor recreation, conservation and destination hospitality.