DES MOINES, Iowa — Summer won’t feel quite the same at Saylorville Lake this year. Changes are in the works at the marina, and while the plans for the future sound exciting, it’s impacting the experience this season.

Summertime at Saylorville Lake Marina might feel a bit different. Construction of a new two-story floating bar and restaurant is underway, but it’s expected to last through the end of the season.

The old restaurant, most recently known as Buoys, now sits empty and dormant.

Brennan Byerline enjoys the marina amenities and says he’s “Disappointed, for sure.”

With Buoys closed, that means the normal food, drink, and atmosphere won’t be here this summer.

“I’m a little shocked and surprised. That was part of the highlight,” said Deron Stender, who is in his first year with a boat slip at the marina.

For Stender and his wife, and several other people we spoke with who pay for slips there, this is news to them.

“I would have thought somebody would have mentioned that, being a business person myself,” said Stender.

And it’s not just boat owners who are bummed, but customers who enjoyed the live music.

“I thought I’d have somewhere to go in between the day. Take a break, grab a drink, grab a snack,” said Byerline.

The bands that played at Buoys say it was one of their favorite gigs.

“There’d be kids, people of all ages, and everyone’s just having a great time, just really great vibe out there,” said Brett Clark, musician with the band Dizclaimer.

They say they only recently found out Saylorville will be mostly silent this summer.

“We closed down the show last year and thought that that was just the end of the season,” said Dizclaimer band member Justin George.

They’re now looking forward to next year when the marina says things will be back bigger — and better — than ever

An employee at the marina, who did not want to be identified, said no one was misled but that there were some delays with the construction plans, which then delayed the development of the new restaurant. They were quick to point out that there’s a whole host of additional upgrades in the works, including a new fuel dock, fuel tank, and ship store. They’ll also be adding some live music and maybe even food trucks on some holidays to compensate.

Check out a rough rendering of what the new bar will look like. It will be two stories with a covered patio on top.

A name hasn’t been chosen yet, but the name in the rendering, “Floaters,” won’t be the final pick.

We’re told the owners behind The Breakfast Club, Wellman’s Pub, and Shotgun Betty’s are the ones taking it over.