Posted on 10/24/2002 3:50:32 PM PDT by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
DULUTH – The city of Duluth has taken over operation of the Great Lakes Aquarium and will close the attraction down until spring.
Despite recent cost-cutting measures, including layoffs and salary reductions, the aquarium continued to operate in the red and turned to the city for a bailout.
The $34 million dollar facility opened in July 2000 with predictions that it would attract more than 400,000 visitors a year, generate more than $5 million annually for the area's economy and employ about 60 full-time workers.
None of that came true as the aquarium was dogged by controversy and construction lawsuits, living a hand-to-mouth existence.
Mayor Gary Doty said Tuesday, he was told the aquarium would be coming to the city with request for $350,000 to keep it going through January.
"The aquarium in a sense is in default,“ he said. ”Under the legislation, we the city of Duluth have the authority to take over the operation of the aquarium.
“I decided to take the measure of temporarily ceasing operations.”
He said they would be taking a hiatus for a number of months to regroup and decide what can be done to make it profitable. Doty said that during the next “six months or so, until spring” the aquarium will be closed to the public, but will be maintained enough to protect the fish and animals.
The mayor said the facility will close after operating hours on Nov. 3, but he would not give an approximate date for it to reopen. He said some special events will be held as previously scheduled. Doty said there will be a minimum staff level and the DECC staff will help with winter maintenance.
Doty said a recently appointed citizen task force will continue working to determine how the facility can break even. He said the closing will save an estimated $100,000 a month in operating costs.
Task force chair Marti Buscaglia said at some point in the process there will be a public meeting.
“I feel this is the right move,” said Buscaglia. “I know there are people's jobs at stake and I'm sorry about that.”
“With this facility closed, we will have an opportunity to rethink how this facility should be operated,” she said. The employees were notified Tuesday afternoon.
"The most important thing for the community is the longterm viability of it,“ said director Ann Glumac. ”We need to focus on the end game, something that can be sustained.
“This is a huge state investment and a huge city investment.” She would not speculate on whether her role as director would survive the transition. However, Glumac thinks it may be possible to retool the facility and make it a little more fun.
Construction on the 62,383-square-foot building began in January 1999. It was funded by $16 million from the state, about $9.8 million from the city and the Duluth Economic Development Authority, and the remainder in private contributions and loans. In February the city faces another $238,000 bond payment on the structure.
State Rep. Dale Swapinski, DFL-Duluth, said he supported the decision, though he has been an unspoken opponent of the city being financially involved in the project.
"While I am gratified that the administration has come to the right decision on the aquarium,” he said, “I remain frustrated at the opportunities that were lost, the jobs not created because resources were directed to saving the unsalvageable.”
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