OLDSMAR — As you soar 70 feet above the ground, secured in a harness, you'll see Old Tampa Bay to the west and Mobbly Bayou to the east. In between, you'll float over a mix of mangrove swamp, salt marsh and oak hammocks. And if you're lucky, from your perch, you'll spot an assortment of shorebirds often spotted here, at the northernmost part of Pinellas County — ospreys, herons and roseate spoonbills.

By partnering with Clearwater's Empower Adventures, the City Council is moving forward with its goal to strengthen Oldsmar's eco-tourism offerings. A $1 million zip line course with an aerial adventure park is coming soon to Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve.

It will be behind Bicentennial Park off Lafayette Boulevard and include five zip lines going from 350 to 700 feet, a 100-foot-long suspension bridge and an adventure area with a 35-foot tower, log bridges, catwalks and other components (think obstacle course) that range in difficulty from easy to difficult.

Empower Adventures of Tampa Bay is a development and management team that includes three partners with expertise in creating zip line courses and nature canopy tours in Hawaii, the Smoky Mountains and Virginia. They are Dev Pathik, founder of Sports Facilities Advisory and Sports Facilities Management; his business partner, architect Jason Clement; and Joe DeRing, a former Army Ranger who founded Empower Adventure Operations in Virginia. In 2011, the men tried to bring a similar project to Pinellas County's Sand Key Park but withdrew the plans after neighbors objected.

Oldsmar has agreed to rent the land to Empower Adventures for $1 a year for 10 years. In return, the city will receive 5 percent of the park's revenue. The plans call for the project to be completed in May.

About three years ago, the City Council began discussing bringing a zip line course to the city and potential locations, including Canal Park next to well-traveled Tampa Road. However, with recent upgrades completed at the preserve, including a new open-air pavilion named the Environmental Preservation Center, "Mobbly Bay just makes sense," Council member Gabby McGee said. "I think the most positive aspect of having a zip line park in Mobbly Bay is that it will allow residents and nonresidents alike to have a memorable and enriching experience in our city while also giving them a greater appreciation and understanding of our local environment."

Between 15 and 20 workers will need to be hired once the course and adventure park is completed, according to Clement of Empower Adventures. Some will be seasonal and others year-round.

"We'll look for guides that have engaging personalities as well as those who understand they have a responsibility to provide a safe experience," he said. "They also will need to be able to engage with visitors and share knowledge on the unique wildlife in Tampa Bay."

The guides will be required to attend "Empower University," a training program with roots that date back to DeRing's experiences in Ranger school.

"This training program includes different ways for our guides to build trust with our guests, which is critical to helping our guests get outside of their comfort zones," DeRing said.

Though the new venue will be built on 6 acres near the public boat launch, Clement stressed that Empower Adventures would not limit access to the water or trails.

"Our goal is to increase exposure and visibility to as much of the park as possible without restricting access to any area that the public already utilizes," he said.

Clement added that the number of participants inside the park will be limited with advanced reservations for the zip line tours.

Ticket prices will be $45 for the aerial adventure park, $69 for the zip line course and two-hour canopy tour and $99 for a combination package, according to Clement.

Contact Piper Castillo at pcastillo@tampabay.com. Follow @Florida_PBJC.