Marineland of Florida
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Marineland of Florida ("Marineland"), one of Florida's first theme parks, is billed as "the world's first oceanarium". Marineland functions as a research and education institution, and re-opened to the public on March 4, 2006 (charging the original 1938 admission price of one dollar).
Marineland was first conceived by W. Douglas Burden, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, Sherman Pratt and Ilya Tolstoy as an oceanarium that could be used to film marine life. A site was selected on the Atlantic Ocean south of St. Augustine, eventually known as the town of Marineland. Financing and construction presented challenges as Marineland was the first attempt at capturing and sustaining sea creatures. These challenges were overcome and on June 23, 1938, "Marine Studios" (the name "Marineland of Florida" would later be adopted) began operations with its main attraction as a bottlenose dolphin. Unexpectedly, over 20,000 tourists clogged Highway A1A to visit the new attraction.
Having the grandson of Leo Tolstoy involved in the project helped Marineland become a very fashionable destination in its early days, prompting writers Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, John Dos Passos, and Ernest Hemingway to visit Moby Dick's Bar located there. The park's facilities were very popular with tourists and also used for numerous movies, including Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and Revenge of the Creature (1955). Trained dolphins became an additional attraction by the 1960s as Marineland became Florida's undisputed top theme park, attracting over 300,000 visitors per year. The opening of Walt Disney World Resort in 1971 began the park's decline as tourist traffic migrated to the newer, more modern parks. However many people especially returning tourists continued to come to Marineland and attendance actually began to turn around in the late 1980's as the small feel of the park began to bring more tourists to the oceanarium.
The park's decline became terminal in the very late 1980s. A major change to the dolphin shows and programs began a downfall in attendees. Management attempted to change Marineland's show to bring a more modern theme. This however backfired and began to drive off the returning Marineland tourists who were drawn to the old style shows and equipment. The last hardhat diving helmet in regular use was retired in 1987 as part of this modernization ending an era at the park as well as ending yet another draw for tourists.
Dwindling tourist revenue resulted in few improvements and neglected maintenance. Hurricanes Floyd and Irene in 1999 forced the park to close for two months. In 2003 all of the park buildings west of Highway A1A were demolished leaving only the original structures along the Atlantic Ocean. In 2004, the park closed completely for renovations, and re-opened on March 4, 2006.
During the renovations the original 1938 Circular Oceanarium (400,000 gallons) and Rectangular Oceanarium (450,000 gallons) were demolished. The age of the Dolphin Show at Marineland is now over as the park reopened as a hands on educational facility. Future plans for the area include a condo development on former park lands. The rest of the old Marineland property wound up in the hands of Flagler County and now make up the River to the Sea Preserve one of the County's many parks.
With a gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney of slightly more than three acres of land together his donation of about half of the total constructions costs, on January 30, 1974, the University of Florida opened the Whitney Marine Laboratory adjacent to Marineland. This laboratory's purpose was the experimental study of marine animals but was separate from the lab that was once operated by Marineland. This development has foreshadowed the park's future, as today Marineland is considered a valuable research and education institution. Future plans for the park include a heavy emphasis on education and ecological tourism.
