MARINELAND, Fla. — A beloved and historic Florida attraction is under new ownership.
Marineland is now owned by Dolphin Discovery, based in Mexico. Georgia Aquarium sold the attraction this summer.
The dolphins at Marineland know Stacey Spong. She supervises animal training there.
"I have been here over 12 years," she smiled.
She has seen a lot of changes at the attraction through the years, including the park’s recent sale over the summer.
"Any facility, anywhere. That can happen," she said.
A year after the park’s 80th anniversary, Georgia Aquarium sold Marineland to Dolphin Discovery, a Cancun, Mexico-based company. It has three facilities in Florida. There are a few changes to the park.
"We have changed a little bit here or there," said Felicia Cook, the new general manager of Marineland Dolphin Adventure. "We don’t usually come in and overhaul."
The prices for the dolphin interactive experiences now cost less and last longer.
"If people aren’t coming through the gates, you can’t educate them," she said. "You can’t share the passion and love we have for our animals and research, if people aren’t coming in the doors. Our company Dolphin Discovery is all about rescue, rehab, releasing to the wild if at all possible and if not... a resting place forever and research."
That’s what Marineland has been in recent years.
The park is now home to more than just bottlenose dolphins. Some rough-toothed dolphins now call Marineland home. They came from another park that’s part of the company in Panama City. They were rescues.
The general manager says in order to do more research and rescues, more projects are in the works here.
"We are not equipped for all of that just yet," Cook said. "But we will be doing our best to make sure we can help in any area possible."
There were some personnel changes during the sale.
"I’m very sorry for those who are no longer with us for whatever reason it might be," Cook said. "It didn’t have anything to do with their capabilities or knowledge. It probably had to do with what fits us or what was best for what we see in the future."
Long-time employee Spong says at the core, Marineland’s message of education and conservation remains.
"The care for these animals has not changed. I wouldn’t allow it," she said.