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Aquarium lease almost ready

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By TED JACKOVICS

tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: August 28, 2009

TAMPA - The Florida Aquarium and Tampa are closing in on a previously stalled agreement on a new lease for the city-owned attraction, city and aquarium officials said Thursday.

The city, which provides a $600,000 annual contribution to the aquarium, has said it wants to secure a measure of control over aquarium operations, including a voting delegate on the governing board and control of aquarium parking lot revenue.
Aquarium officials are eager to retain control over the adjacent parking lot, including the opportunity to preserve the parking lot property for aquarium expansion.

Mark Huey, the city's economic and urban development administrator, said attorneys for the city and aquarium met on Wednesday with Mayor Pam Iorio and said the parties have resolved all outstanding issues.

He wouldn't discuss details of the meeting but said he expects a new lease agreement to go to the city council for a vote before the current lease expires Sept. 30.

"The lawyers are working on it," Huey said. "We're confident that we'll be able to make it work."

A draft agreement is expected to be produced in the next few weeks and will be submitted to aquarium board members for consideration.

Reporter Christian M. Wade contributed to this report.

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