Bring on the country

The people behind Florida Tracks and Trails, a massive entertainment and outdoor adventure park in Charlotte County, want nothing to do with small.

The latest large news for the park: Country music superstar Reba McEntire will be the show-closing headline act for what Florida Tracks and Trails officials call “the biggest country music event in Southwest Florida history.”

McEntire joins a star-studded group of performers booked for the Country Life Music Festival, scheduled for April 24-April 26. The list includes Chris Young and Tracy Lawrence, who will open for McEntire Sunday; Hank Williams Jr., Big & Rich, the Charlie Daniels Band and Love & Theft, scheduled for Saturday; and Billy Currington, Jamey Johnson, 38 Special and Gloriana, scheduled for Friday.

Work on Florida Tracks and Trails, on Bermont Road, about 70 miles southeast of downtown Sarasota and 40 miles north of downtown Fort Myers, began last year. The lead developer is Punta Gorda construction entrepreneur Terry Cooke, who owns Cooke Land Clearing and Cooke Land Development. Phase one of the project, say Florida Tracks and Trails executives, is expected to cost $17 million to $20 million. On 1,000 acres of cattle grazing land, the park includes 80 acres of paintball fields, camping sites and five motocross motorcycle tracks, in addition to the concert venue.

Charlotte County officials have talked up Florida Tracks and Trails, for both the tourism and job creation potential, for months. “Everything is coming along really well,” Florida Tracks and Trails spokeswoman Rachel Ketterman tells Coffee Talk. “The community is really excited about this park.”