Aquatarium (Florida)

Aquatarium

The Aquatarium opened in 1964, with its main attraction being shows featuring trained dolphins, sea lions, and pilot whales. Shows were staged under a 160-foot, golden geodesic dome, which sheltered the audience as they were seated around the world's largest circular marine tank (100 feet in diameter, 25 feet deep, containing 1.244 million gallons of seawater). The Aquatarium shows were billed as "The World's Greatest Marine Show," or "World's Largest Marine Attraction," and starred a dolphin named "Floppy." Floppy was famed for her 25-foot leaps into the air, leading to her characterization as "the world-champion high-jumping dolphin."

In 1968, the Aquatarium was purchased by local hotelier Frank Cannova for two million dollars. In 1974, Cannova opened The Hawaiian Inn.

Shark World

Due to the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World, as well as the gasoline shortages of the mid-1970s, tourism in Pinellas County experienced a significant decline. In 1976, in order to combat the declining fortunes of the park, the owners (inspired by the popularity of the 1975 film Jaws) attempted to rebrand the Aquatarium as "Shark World". Despite their efforts, the park closed at the end of the 1977 summer season.

References

References

1. [http://www.tbnweekly.com/content_articles/080405_eextra-front-01.txt Tampa Bay Weekly], "''Look back at Pinellas history recalls lost attractions''," by Lee Clark Zumpe (August 4th, 2005 - retrieved on September 20th, 2011).
2. [http://www.newyorker.com/search?qt=dismax&rows=10&sort=score+desc&query=aquatarium&bylquery=&submit.x=33&submit.y=6 The New Yorker], "''U.S. Journal: Pinellas County, Florida Attractions''," by [[Calvin Trillin]] (January 2nd, 1971 - retrieved on September 22nd, 2011).
3. [http://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/remembering-the-aquatarium.html Florida Backroads] {{webarchive. link. (2011-09-05 , "''Remembering the Aquatarium''," by Greg May (retrieved on September 20th, 2011).)
4. [http://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/aquatarium-the-worlds-greatest-marine-show.html Florida Backroads] {{webarchive. link. (2011-09-05 , "''Aquatarium: "The World's Greatest Marine Show!''," by Greg May (retrieved on September 20th, 2011).)
5. ''St. Petersburg'' by Sarah O'Brien [https://books.google.com/books?id=qQKYuPx1GVQC&dq=%22Frank+Cannova%22Aquatarium&pg=PA89 Page 89]
6. Lost Parks [http://lostparks.com/aquatarium.html The Aquatarium AKA Shark World]
7. ''St. Petersburg Times'' September 11, 1974 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19740911&id=3uklAAAAIBAJ&sjid=THkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4042,75516&hl=ko 13-A Business & Finance, Desert Ranch motel getting new look, name By Ron Yogman]
8. [http://www.lostparks.com/aquatarium.html Lost Parks], "''The Aquatarium: AKA Shark World''," by Robert H. Brown (retrieved on September 20, 2011).
9. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/smsea/3307870376/in/set-72157614399503762/ ''St. Petersburg Times''], "Final curtain falls at Shark World", by Vanessa Williams (August 29, 1977 - retrieved on September 20, 2011).