Brevard Zoo pushes forward with aquarium plan for port

Dave Berman | FLORIDA TODAY

The Brevard Zoo's proposal to build a Florida-themed aquarium at Port Canaveral has won the initial endorsement of port commissioners.

They directed port staff to work with zoo officials on fine-tuning the plans, including zeroing in on a potential site, most likely in or near the port's Cove area.

Brevard Zoo Executive Director Keith Winsten presented a series of illustrations to port commissioners, showing the vision for the project — one that focuses on the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Johns River, as well as the area's space heritage.

It includes displays on shrimping, with a "sampler platter" tasting station; shark flats featuring bull shark or lemon shark separated from visitors by clear acrylic panels; ray encounters with feeding opportunities; a tarpon feeding area; hands-on conservation displays of oyster mats and diamondback terrapins; and a mock-up of a St. Johns River fish camp.

Winsten said the re-created fish camp could be "our signature exhibit."

"We can create this seamless illusion, so as the kids are out there, walking among otters and turtles and gators in a perfectly safe way," Winsten said.

There also would be 5,000 square feet of space devoted to temporary traveling exhibits featuring jellyfish, sea horses or venomous sea creatures, for example. Another proposed exhibit that features a large tank containing ocean fish also would included a model of the Orion space capsule floating at the surface. And there would be a hand-on, kid-friendly display on how canal locks work.

"This is not a cookie-cutter experience," Winsten said. "This is something you could only get in Brevard County."

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"I think it is a terrific idea," Canaveral Port Authority Commissioner Bruce Deardoff said.

The key to the aquarium's success, Winsten said, is to size it correctly to keep capital and operating costs down.

Winsten is proposing an aquarium with 50,000 square feet of indoor space and 25,000 square feet of outdoor space for exhibits on a 10-acre site that would offer a 60- to 90-minute experience for visitors.

"We're looking at a very conservative business plan to make sure it more than pays for itself, and gives back into the community," Winsten said.

Winsten said he believes such a project could attract 600,000 visitors a year, including local residents, cruise ship passengers and other tourists. In comparison, the Brevard Zoo in Viera attracts about 400,000 people a year.

"We have a proven history of operating nature-based attractions," Winsten said. "We know the economics of running zoos and aquariums."

One advantage of a Space Coast aquarium, Winsten said, is there are no classic aquariums along the Interstate 95 corridor south of Charleston, South Carolina.

He said future phases of the aquarium project could include "collaborative conservation hubs" that would include tie-ins to university research; sea turtle and manatee rehabilitation facilities; outdoor classrooms; and unconventional function space.

Winsten said it's a little too early to discuss the cost of the aquarium or its timeline for construction. But, if the project moves forward, he said the zoo hopes to use a combination of funding sources that could include money from the zoo's capital projects budget, state grants and corporate sponsorships.

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Canaveral Port Authority Secretary/Treasurer Tom Weinberg called Winsten's concept a "dynamite presentation."

"You've made this extremely Florida-like and natural, in terms of your concept," Weinberg told Winsten. "I think that would be so well-received by everybody, so I hope we can work this out."

Port Commissioner Wayne Justice said he hoped zoo and port officials could work on tying the aquarium concept in with the port's seven-story Exploration Tower, which Justice described as being "challenged at best to turn a profit."

Winsten said zoo officials have been internally discussing the concept of an aquarium for the last two years, and the zoo's board supports pursuing the idea as well, including forming a task force focusing on the project.

He said there would be "great potential" of locating the zoo at the port, as it has "a rich cultural heritage" and is "a significant driver of tourism and the economy in Brevard County."

"It needs to be close to the Cove to take advantage of the tourism aspect," Winsten said, adding that three parcels currently are under study.

He said the aquarium, in turn, could act as the attraction that "anchors the Cove as a tourism destination."

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649 and dberman@floridatoday.com . Follow him on Twitter @ByDaveBerman and on Facebook at facebook.com/dave.berman.54