South Seas resort has snapped up the famous 22-acre property on Captiva Island from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, marking a significant change in the island’s cultural landscape. The acquisition comes after extensive maintenance costs made it unsustainable for the foundation to keep the site operational.

The sale price of $45 million was revealed by local news sources, with South Seas president Greg Spencer expressing enthusiasm about integrating the property into their resort plans. ‘The opportunity to acquire prime beachfront directly adjacent to our established resort is a rare and compelling one,’ he stated in a press release.

However, the move has not been without controversy. The Captiva Civic Association described it as 'a grievous betrayal,' arguing that Rauschenberg would have wanted his legacy to remain on the island. The artist had long been committed to preserving the natural beauty and tranquility of his adopted home.

The Rauschenberg Foundation had run a successful residency program on Captiva Island since 2012, hosting over 500 artists including prominent figures such as Senga Nengudi and LaToya Ruby Frazier. The hurricane in 2022 forced the cancellation of the final cohort, effectively ending the residency program.

South Seas plans to honour Rauschenberg's legacy through future art-related programming, with several buildings from the property set for integration into their resort. Nevertheless, this acquisition marks a poignant transition from non-profit stewardship to commercial use in an artistically rich island setting.