Mote marine aquarium5/15/2023 ![]() ![]() Still, half a year removed from breaking ground, there remains a series of tasks remaining. “This site is going to be a gateway for Southwest Florida and a gateway for the sea.” bringing Mote SEA alive,” Mote President and CEO Michael Crosby said in November. “Today we are celebrating this milestone event. In November, Mote held a groundbreaking for the aquarium, hosting local and state officials who spoke effusively about the plans for a landmark attraction. Those developments occurred prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic locally, but Mote officials said the health emergency hasn’t had any effect on its plans for the project. In early 2020, the organization secured a commitment of $20 million in tourist tax funding from Sarasota County and an additional $5 million from Manatee County. In 2018, Sarasota County approved the terms of a land use deal with Mote, setting aside 11 acres of county-owned property for the project. They’ve cleared a number of hurdles necessary to facilitate the project, called the Mote Science Education Aquarium - Mote SEA for short. Since 2018, Mote officials have been pursuing plans for a new four-story, 110,000-square-foot aquarium on county-owned land in Nathan Benderson Park. ![]() The goal is to extend valuable resources to every K-12 student in the local community (over 70,000 kids!).A tract of dirt near Interstate 75 and University Parkway may not have looked like much to motorists for the past six months, but Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium sees the upturned soil as the first step of what the organization expects to be a transformative project for the region. This facility will offer hands-on educational opportunities through its campaign “Oceans for All: Improving Access to Marine Science and Technology.” Mote has put an emphasis on accessible education. The focus is all about the ocean and will help them discover the various ways we can protect it. Mote SEA stands for Mote Science Education Aquarium it is a brand-new facility that will teach children. Mote has recently announced an exciting new breakthrough in their mission to spread ocean education called Mote SEA. They are open daily, 365 days a year, from 9:30 a.m. ![]() Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is located at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota. ![]() Until then, visitors can explore the existing Mote Marine Aquarium and all the other wonderful family-friendly things to do near Siesta Key! It’s expected that the facility will be completed by early 2023. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium first broke ground on their new Mote Sea facility on November 13, 2020. This destination is one that’s popular with locals and visitors alike! Mote also brings the local community into their efforts by providing a state-of-the-art aquarium where visitors can learn about the wonders of the ocean. The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium is a nonprofit research facility that works to study the oceans and the creatures within them to learn how we can best protect them. When you’re in Sarasota, don’t miss a trip to the Mote Marine Aquarium, where they’re converting their already impressive facilities with a massive expansion. Travel just fifteen minutes away to downtown Sarasota! Your next family vacation is sure to be a blast, especially when you’re on the beautiful shores of Siesta Key! There are tons of fun attractions and things to do near Siesta Key. ![]()
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