Virginia BEACH – A plan to create a roadmap for the future of the city-owned Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, including a possible change in ownership or operations, continues to rankle some people who feel left out of the process.
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Councilwoman Barbara Henley said she is “sickened” by the way the city has handled the matter after Rick Biddle of Relevant Strategies and Solutions outlined a plan to gather input and explore alternative models. .
The city has hired Biddle’s company at a cost of $108,850 to meet with city and Virginia Aquarium Foundation leaders, create a basic financial model for the aquarium and hold one-on-one conversations with potential operating partners. Biddle plans to provide a status update in late summer.
Two major entertainment companies are interested in taking over the aquarium’s operations, but the foundation, a nonprofit group that owns the animals and raises funds for the facility, is not yet in charge.
The owners of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Dollywood responded to a request from the city last fall for “interested organizations related to the operation, leasing and/or purchase of the Aquarium.” The City Council decided last year to explore the option of handing over the nearly 40-year-old aquarium to a private entity after learning that the tanks housing the animals are deteriorating and will cost millions to repair.
“We’ve done this all wrong,” Henley said. “This has been anything but open and transparent.”
Council members have discussed the option of privatizing the aquarium in meetings closed to the public. There have been public briefings and a survey on the topic. Foundation members and facility staff became concerned and a wave of employees resigned amid the uncertainty, foundation President Dan Peterson wrote in a letter to the City Council in March. According to the city, the aquarium has 125 full-time employees.
“This has all been done at a level other than including the public,” Henley said, adding that residents and foundation members have not yet had the opportunity to publicly address the council about the potential change in ownership/operator.
“It was the public and volunteers who created that aquarium, not the city,” Henley said. “It’s a total lack of respect.”
Mayor Bobby Dyer disagreed. He said appropriate steps have been taken given the fiscal challenges the city will face in maintaining the aquarium’s operations and replacing its aging infrastructure. The facility is projected to generate nearly $14 million in revenue this fiscal year. The city budgeted $20.4 million for operating expenses, utilities and more.
City Manager Patrick Duhaney said the foundation has not shared its finances with the city, but the group raised more than $14 million in charitable donations to support an aquarium building’s animals, exhibits and educational programs recently. renovated.
Peterson emailed another letter to council members on Monday.
“The Foundation feels that this process is being ‘rushed’ and the manner in which it has been carried out is extremely disrespectful to a partner of 40 years,” Peterson wrote. “More specifically, the opinions and thoughts of the Foundation were never taken into consideration and the City did not ‘move forward’ with the Foundation as a partner, which has impacted trust between the two parties.”
The foundation’s development director, Suzanne Savage, recently resigned.
“Once we come up with some viable options, it will be time to engage the public,” the mayor said.
“We all have enormous respect for the volunteers and the people who work at the aquarium,” said Councilman Joash Schulman. “This is because we care about the aquarium.”
Biddle has 35 years of experience in American Zoological Association institutions, including aquariums. His company has completed more than 21 studies and governance transition plans. He is working on a memorandum of understanding between his company, the city and the foundation with the goal of exploring the “best operating model to ensure the future viability and sustainability of the Virginia Aquarium.”
“We are a resource for you,” he said. “It really is an exercise in due diligence; There are no predetermined results.”
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
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