The Florida Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, publicly operated institution located in Tampa, Florida. It is a large scale, aquarium and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The facility is home to more than 20,000 aquatic plants and animals from Florida and all over the world. The facility is located in the Channel District of Downtown Tampa. The Florida Aquarium opened in March 1995 as a privately funded entity, and became a public-private partnership when the city of Tampa assumed responsibility for its debt in 1999.

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History

The Florida Aquarium was largely constructed using borrowed money amid inflated projections that high attendance and ticket sales would pay off the incurred debt. ^[1] However, after the aquarium opened in March 1995, the number of visitors and tourists fell well below expectations.

The aquarium fell into financial debt. In response to the crisis, the city of Tampa took over the Florida Aquarium's mortgage and debt in 1999. Managers at the institution were forced to lay off or demote roughly one-third of the aquarium's total staff.

The aquarium failed to impress many visitors in its early years. At the time, the Florida Aquarium placed a strong emphasis on science and native Florida wildlife. Many visitors found the exhibits to be boring, according to the St. Petersburg Times .

Jeff Swanagan became CEO of the Florida Aquarium in 1998 and is credited with turning around the troubled institution. Swanagan loosened the aquarium's previous emphasis on science and Florida wildlife. He introduced several new exhibits featuring flora and fauna from other regions of the world to attract new and returning visitors to the aquarium. New exhibitions overseen by Swanagan included the "Dragons Down Under," which featurs leafy sea dragons that are native to the waters off Australia; an albino alligator; and an exhibit featuring snakes and bats called "Frights of the Forest." A sting ray was even nicknamed "Roseanne Barb" by a marketing department in an attempt to attract attention to the aquarium.

Under Swanagan, the Florida Aquarium was able to return to financial stability. The aquarium was able to pay off approximately $3 million dollars in debt by 2002. He was also able to slash the annual subsidy provided to the aquarium from the city of Tampa from $1.1 million to $700,000 dollars.

The number of visitors to the Florida Aquarium also rose during Swanagan's tenure as CEO. Total yearly attendance rose from 545,000 visitors to a record high of 620,000 in 2002.

Jeff Swanagan departed the Florida Aquarium in 2002 to become the first president of Georgia Aquarium.

The institution continued to attract increasing number of visitors following Swanagan's departure. The aquarium hosted a record number of visitors (675,000) in 2007 and also had its best year financially. In response, the aquarium plans expansions over several phases for the future. ^[2]

Exhibits

The Florida Aquarium's exhibits are laid out to show the journey of a drop of water from one of Florida's many fresh-water springs out to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Exhibits include a large simulated wetlands exhibit located under a tall glass atrium, a simulated beach, and a coral reef community housed in a 500,000 gallon tank. Its mission is to "entertain, education and inspire stewardship of the natural environment." The newest section is Ocean Commotion, which replaced the Sea Hunt section.

References

1. Jeff Swanagan, who turned around Florida Aquarium, dies at 51
2. Florida Aquarium turns record attendance into expansion plans - Tampa Bay Business Journal: