At the southeast corner of Bonita Beach Road and Imperial Parkway, a short drive north of Mediterra's gates, stands a building that has been dark since May 2020. Many drivers on Bonita Beach Road know it as the Southwest Florida Event Center. Melissa Etheridge, Amy Grant and Toad the Wet Sprocket all played there before it closed during the pandemic.
The building is now being rebuilt as Voulez-Vous Naples, a Mediterranean dinner-and-cabaret venue. The old concert hall sold tickets to one act on one stage. Voulez-Vous is designed to fill an entire night, from the first course to the last DJ set. That makes it the most ambitious plan this building has had, and it has had several.
Four Lives for One Building
The address is 11515 Bonita Beach Road SE, and its history explains why the new plan matters.
- A drugstore that never opened. The building began as an Eckerd pharmacy, which was reportedly sold before it ever opened.
- A concert hall. A Southwest Florida entrepreneur spent about $7 million turning the shuttered store into a concert space, according to the Business Observer. It opened as the Southwest Florida Performing Arts Center in 2016 and later became the Southwest Florida Event Center.
- A long pause. The Event Center closed in May 2020. A reopening attempt in 2022 did not lead to sustained operations.
- A cabaret. In December 2023, an LLC connected to Roy Dobrasinovic's businesses bought the complex, the Business Observer reported, citing Lee County property records.
Dobrasinovic is a Chicago transportation entrepreneur who told the Business Observer he has called Florida home for more than 20 years. Gulfshore Business describes him as a Naples resident.
Construction is well underway. SWFL.Life reported that a commercial interior buildout permit was issued in November 2025 for construction valued at about $904,800.
Why a Dinner Show Changes What the Corner Is For
A concert hall gives you a reason to go out on one particular night. You buy a ticket for the act, watch the set and drive home. Voulez-Vous is built to be the whole evening. In an email to the Business Observer, Dobrasinovic described the concept:
"fine dining and cocktails with an immersive, approximately three-hour show featuring singers, dancers, aerialists and live music in a spectacular, theatrical setting. We're bringing the ambition and energy of an international production to our own community, so residents can enjoy the kind of evening they might otherwise travel to Las Vegas, New York or London to experience."
The owners' October 19 announcement, as quoted in that article, lays the evening out in three parts: The Table, The Show and The Night. Mediterranean-inspired cooking comes first. Live performance follows, with acts that unfold onstage and around the tables. International DJs carry the night after that.
The floor plan is built around that sequence. Plans call for a main dining and performance room seating about 350 guests and a separate lounge for about 170. The lounge gives the late part of the evening its own room, so the night can go on after dinner without anyone moving the tables. The old concert hall had no room like it.
What an Evening There Is Planned to Look Like
Here are the details the owners and local outlets have reported so far:
- Age and dress. Guests must be 21 or older, and the dress code is "elegant with a touch of glamour," according to the Business Observer.
- The menu. SWFL.Life published a preview menu in August with starters, salads, pasta and risotto, entrées, sides and desserts. It includes Wagyu carpaccio, lobster pappardelle, prime steaks, sea bass and lamb chops. Prices have not been published.
- The performers. Live vocals, theatrical choreography and cabaret acts, with live musicians, aerialists and specialty performers, as described by Gulfshore Business.
- Private events. According to the announcement, the venue will host birthdays, anniversaries, corporate gatherings, launches and VIP occasions, and it plans to offer partial and full buyouts.
The private-event option suits a community that runs on a winter social calendar. A group dinner that might otherwise end at a clubhouse table could take over part of a cabaret room instead.
January, Not November
Gulfshore Business first reported that Voulez-Vous was aiming for a November opening. Then a spokesperson told the Business Observer on October 28 that the opening had moved to January. The official Voulez-Vous Naples page still says "opening soon."
The new target lands the opening after the holidays, well into the winter season. If you want a table early, the venue's contact page says Naples hours and show schedules will be announced. It asks for reservation inquiries at [email protected], with your preferred date and party size. The site also links to the venue's Instagram account, @voulezvousnaples.
Until Then, the Season's Evenings Run South
For now, a big night out from Mediterra still means driving south. The biggest stop on this season's calendar is in Naples.
Johnsonville Night Lights at Naples Botanical Garden runs from November 27, 2026, through January 3, 2027. It is closed December 24, 25 and 31. The Garden's event page lists lights, live music, food and drink, and a new reserved sunset-tram experience this year. The Garden is at 4820 Bayshore Drive.
Snow Fest 2026 comes to Paradise Coast Sports Complex at 3865 City Gate Boulevard South on Saturday, December 5, from 3 to 7 p.m. Collier County's listing promises real snow, sledding, performances and photos with Santa. Admission is $8 per person, and children 3 and under get in free. It's an easy afternoon for anyone hosting grandchildren in early December.
Some of the newest openings closer to home are breakfast and lunch spots:
- Sour & Dough Artisan Bakery opened its second location in September at 893 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Unit 58, in The Pavilion. It serves bread, pastries, sandwiches and specialty coffee, Gulfshore Business reported.
- Empire Bagel Factory opened September 1 at 3369 Pine Ridge Road, Suite 104, in Meridian Marketplace, just east of Livingston Road.
- Just Salad opened its first local location September 1 at 960 Immokalee Road, Suite 200, in Granada Shoppes, according to Gulfshore Business.
All three serve daytime crowds. Voulez-Vous is the nearby opening built for the evening. A building that once drew touring acts to Bonita Beach Road is set to reopen in January as a dinner, a show and a late night in one place.
At Taylor Stewart, we keep track of what's changing around Mediterra's north edge, including the corner at Bonita Beach Road and Imperial Parkway. If you're wondering how new places like this might affect your home's value this season, get your free home valuation.
