Blue World Project - Orca Tank Expansion

[mebweb]

On the Today show this morning, SWP&E officially announced its Blue World Project. I think most of us expected this after all the Blackfish controversy. The killer whale habitats at all three Sea World parks will be expanded by more than double their current size. Sea World San Diego will begin construction in 2015 and the attraction will open in 2018. No timeline was given yet for the other two Sea World parks in Orlando and San Antonio. The new habitats will include a more realistic sea environment and the "fast water current" feature that has been discussed on this site before. In addition, interactions and educational opportunities with the trainers will be enhanced as part of the new experience.

http://blueworldproject.seaworld.com/

 

[Teebin]

And the CEO said this morning that it has nothing to do with the bad publicity... :blank:

 

[Jonathan15]

Just to correct you, mebweb, the San Diego project begins 2015 and ends 2018, with the other two parks falling in between.

But this is exciting!

 

[neoshinok]

While a nice improvement, I can't see this bringing the attendance bump they desperately need.

 

[IzzyB]

While a nice improvement, I can't see this bringing the attendance bump they desperately need.

No, but it will make the PR better, which in turn may actually allow them to sell the park for a decent price. You have to realize that it is not just these parks are in trouble that would cause a low selling price, it will be even lower because of the bad PR any company that picks up the parks will get. So this should be a win for the future of the SW parks.

 

[Brian G.]

I don't think this is the answer, especially considering we're not going to see this completed until 2018-2019.

 

[JungleSkip]

I don't think this is the answer, especially considering we're not going to see this completed until 2018-2019.

4-5 more years for this? Oy. Not a good sign for SeaWorld

 

[Brian G.]

4-5 more years for this? Oy. Not a good sign for SeaWorld

Yeah. I'm wondering if it's because they're going to add an attraction before that time. The expansion is necessary, but not an immediate requirement.

 

[IzzyB]

Yeah. I'm wondering if it's because they're going to add an attraction before that time. The expansion is necessary, but not an immediate requirement.

Three year timeline seems long, but the expansion seems very in-depth. New viewing area in addition to larger tanks. I would agree that an attraction is coming between now and then for another area. I am thinking this announcement is just to get the bad press off their backs. The long timeline could be because they need to keep tanks open to house the Orcas now and also want to keep the show going. So the construction is going to be much slower moving things around all the time.

 

[Cole]

I think this a wonderful idea, sure it's coming out in 4-5 years but it shows seaworld finally cares about the blackfish response instead of dismissing it (they're liars). My question is how are blackfish supporters responding to this? I saw one on ITM's fb page saying "this still isn't the ocean". Will people still be stuck on this topic when it comes out?

 

[IzzyB]

I think this a wonderful idea, sure it's coming out in 4-5 years but it shows seaworld finally cares about the blackfish response instead of dismissing it (they're liars). My question is how are blackfish supporters responding to this? I saw one on ITM's fb page saying "this still isn't the ocean". Will people still be stuck on this topic when it comes out?

I think you have two groups of people.

1. The diehard PETA people that most of the general population thinks is crazy and has taken animal rights too far because they do stupid things
2. The general person who cares about animals that was offended by Sea World after the movie came out.

The first group will never be happy until Sea World and all parks like it including zoos are closed. SO this expansion will not sway their opinion of Sea World and won't really make them ever go to Sea World.

The second group will forgot about this in a couple years and when this opens up will go, oh look they did something, and will visit Sea World again.

It is that second group that made this such a PR mess, because that is a much broader group of people and why it probably in some ways hurt attendance at Sea World. That second group is also the reason why I feel no major US company would touch Sea World until this blows over.

 

[WAJAS]

The Blue World Project

This just in, SeaWorld has apparently been in the process of giving more to the killer whales even before Blackfish was made. It even has a website: http://blueworldproject.seaworld.com

 

[Cole]

I think you have two groups of people.

1. The diehard PETA people that most of the general population thinks is crazy and has taken animal rights too far because they do stupid things
2. The general person who cares about animals that was offended by Sea World after the movie came out.

The first group will never be happy until Sea World and all parks like it including zoos are closed. SO this expansion will not sway their opinion of Sea World and won't really make them ever go to Sea World.

The second group will forgot about this in a couple years and when this opens up will go, oh look they did something, and will visit Sea World again.

It is that second group that made this such a PR mess, because that is a much broader group of people and why it probably in some ways hurt attendance at Sea World. That second group is also the reason why I feel no major US company would touch Sea World until this blows over.

Makes sense, I feel like this can't come out soon enough. It's something the park now desperately needs and I honestly expect sea worlds attendance to drop significantly until it comes out. Hopefully there will be another thing beforehand. This will atleast help sea world gain postitve press

 

[WAJAS]

Does anyone know how size of the land that Shamu stadium sits on at the Orlando park, this being the area inside of the walkway around it? If it is too small for the expansion of the orca area then I think SW is most likely to get rid of the sidewalk fronting the small lake and extend the orca area until it is adjacent, but not touching, the lake. Any other thoughts on the subject?

 

[Teebin]

Does anyone know how size of the land that Shamu stadium sits on at the Orlando park, this being the area inside of the walkway around it? If it is too small for the expansion of the orca area then I think SW is most likely to get rid of the sidewalk fronting the small lake and extend the orca area until it is adjacent, but not touching, the lake. Any other thoughts on the subject?

The stadium including the holding tanks out back as a circle comprise appx 5-6 acres. I believe they would cut into the fountain pond east southeast of the stadium as it is about 2 acres in size.

 

[Kraken&Manta]

A very good addition seeing the circumstances yet I feel as though SeaWorld could have done better announcing it. The CEO said it had nothing to do with the bad publicity, which I somewhat doubt, and I think they could have gone much further cleaning up their image by acknowledging the criticism and having this project as a response. Something along the lines of "We took many of the complaints and criticisms with our current Orca enclosures and attempted to fix them with this expansion so that we could be viewed as a world leader in animal care rather than a enemy of animals". Written better, of course, I'm no speech writer; either way just something to at least show SeaWorld trying to redeem itself (whether or not redemption is needed) by changing the company rather than just arguing.

By the way, anyone know the current depth of the Orca tanks? If I recall correctly Shark Encounter is about fifteen feet deep, so this new exhibit should probably be massive.

 

[neoshinok]

^I see what you mean. I agree admitting people's criticisms were a factor would be more effective. But from SeaWorld's PR standpoint, they want to maintain that nothing they do/have done is wrong. Even recognizing the criticism as a motive for change adds legitimacy to the cause and that's what they want to avoid. Just one perspective.

 

[Teebin]

It is hard to tell with refraction, but the few times I have seen the show tank, I would estimate the depth to be 30-40 feet from the top of the glass.

 

[GAcoaster]

That's about right, it's 38 feet deep.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Is this making the tank deeper too? I'm wondering how much of an increase this is?