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Who might run the aquarium? Believe it or not!
by Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio
January 16, 2003

A taskforce charged with finding ways to restore the vitality of the Great Lakes Aquarium is recommending a partnership with an external management company. (MPR Photo/Bob Kelleher)

Duluth officials are looking at three organizations, as a potential managing partner for the Great Lakes Aquarium. Two have Minnesota roots. The other is best known for Ripley's "Believe It or Not" television show and museums.

Duluth, Minn. — A task force charged with finding ways to set the struggling facility back on its feet, returned its recommendations to the Great Lakes Aquarium Board and Duluth City officials after four months work.

	The taskforce

The City of Duluth took over operations of the Great Lakes Aquarium this fall, with the aquarium facing a nagging budget deficit. Task Force chair Marti Buscaglia says the first step to reviving the struggling attraction is to manage its debt repayment.

"We are dealing with an insolvent corporation," she says. "We need to fix that. We need to restructure. We need to restructure the debt, so that we can move forward."

More than 200,000 people toured the facility in its first four months. But attendance has been lackluster ever since; fewer than 400,000 a year. The freshwater aquarium has cut its staff and hours.

	Duluth Mayor Gary Doty

Duluth Mayor Gary Doty says, even with attendance flat, the aquarium can be self supporting, except for one thing: the construction debt.

"The bottom line is that the aquarium needs to operate debt free," according to Doty. "By debt free, we mean separate from payment of the bonds."

City officials are asking the State Legislature to direct a portion of the city's hotel and beverage tax to aquarium debts.

Secondly, the Aquarium needs a professional organization, willing to manage the facility. The task force has identified three potential partners, although it has not indicated which of the three it prefers. They include the Science Museum of Minnesota; and Minnesota Aquarium, which runs Underwater World at the Mall of America.

A few eyebrows have been raised at the third. Ripley Entertainment is a Canadian based giant that now owns two aquariums, as well as museums, publishing interests, and broadcast stations.

All jokes aside, Ripley is a viable contender, according to Task Force Chair Marti Buscaglia.

	Marti Buscaglia

"Ripley is not four-legged fish," Buscaglia says. "They are a very professional aquarium company. And, the aquarium in Gatlinburg, (Tenn.) and the one in (Myrtle Beach) South Carolina show that."

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Tennessee is the nation's most visited. It's a $70 million facility that opened two years ago, with saltwater fish and sharks.

Jim Pattison is Vice President of Ripley's Aquariums. Pattison offered Duluth advice when he heard the Great Lakes Aquarium was in trouble.

"I've been following this aquarium," Pattison says, "because I was curious as to why, when it was being built. Because this has been like a 20 year project for the City of Duluth."

Pattison toured the Great Lakes Aquarium this fall. He says it has a great location on Duluth's waterfront, and has good interactive displays. Under Ripley's management, he'd expect a few changes.

"Perhaps there might be the opportunity to add a few more fish," Pattison says. "You know, we wouldn't take away from the fresh water, but we may add something that relates to salt water. It's something people don't ordinarily see. And that's what they're very interested in."

Gatlinburg is home to three more Ripley attractions, including a miniature golf course, a haunted house, a 3-D theatre, and a Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum. Ripley is the dominate force in a very small town. But Pattison says that wouldn't necessarily be the case in Duluth.

"We don't know a lot about Duluth," admits Pattison. "So we really have to do our homework, on the area: understand tourism; understand the locals."

And, Pattison says, it's important whether or not Ripley can connect with the local community. "If you don't have the support of the community, then it'll never work."

Back in Duluth, there's concern about the aquarium becoming primarily an entertainment attraction. City Council Member Ken Hogg says his support will be based partly on preserving the aquarium's education mission.

"The biggest issue, on a management contract," according to Hogg, "would be to be able to preserve that research and educational focus. And that's one of the things that we would have to sure is part of it."

The task force recommends an educational partnership, perhaps with the University of Minnesota Duluth. There are no time lines yet to sign either an educational or management contract.

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