Linger Lodge & Campground up for sale

The owners of East County staple Linger Lodge & Campground have put the "little piece of Old Florida" up for sale.

Owners Marvin Kaplan and Mike Bennett, the Manatee County supervisor of elections, put the restaurant and RV park on the market a few months ago.

They had hoped to develop the 28-acre property along the Braden River when they bought it in 2005. 

The business partners put the property up for auction once before, in 2008, but did not receive a sufficient bid.

Kaplan said they waited out the economy and believe now is the right time to strike a deal.

"The world has changed since 2005 and so have we," Kaplan said. "We hope whoever buys it keeps the place like it is. People love that restaurant."

Kaplan said it's possible the RV park can be sold separately from the restaurant, which is known for exotic dishes such as gator nuggets and fried frog legs.

"A lot of times, park buyers are not restaurant buyers," Kaplan said. 

He added he'd be happy to keep the restaurant and sell the park. 

"The restaurant does relatively well," Kaplan said. 

The strength of any offer will determine that. 

Kaplan described strong interest in the property but would not speculate on a timeline for the sale.

"This is just a piece of real estate," Kaplan. "We're trying to move on."

Bennett could not be reached for comment because he is out of town. 

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].