Friday, March 1, 2013
A homeowners group studied visitor numbers at Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure at the Harborview Center and determined only a small percent of people venture from the exhibit to downtown Clearwater.
To Jack Mortimer the numbers just did not add up. He is president and founder of the Downtown Neighborhood Association and lives in Water’s Edge, on the side facing the Harborview Center. He has a first row seat to the foot traffic coming and going from the nearly 300,000 people visiting Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure. But that is not what he noticed. Cleveland Street and Osceola Avenue, the intersection outside of the Harborview Center, teem with visitors walking to the attraction from the marina or standing outside waiting for the Jolley Trolley. But the restaurants, just a few hundred feet away, do not see an influx from the steady stream of people, Mortimer said. They are empty, or doing the same business as they ever did. If so many …
Saturday, September 22, 2012
A year ago the movie based on Winter the dolphin was released. Celebrate the anniversary at Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure with giveaways and a movie screening in downtown Clearwater Sunday.
A year ago Winter the dolphin officially became a movie star with the release of the movie Dolphin Tale which soon became no. 1 at the box office. Since the movie's release it is expected to bring more than 800,000 people through the front doors of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium next year and a possible $5 billion in total economic impact for the area over the next five years, according to an analysis by the USF St. Petersburg College of Business. Celebrate the anniversary with popcorn, a screening of the movie and giveaways at Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure in downtown Clearwater. The first 100 guests get a movie poster, there are hourly giveaways and a screening of the movie Dolphin Tale at 3 p.m. What: Dolphin Tale Movie Release One …
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is offering a water ferry service between its Island Estates facility and Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure downtown.
While some parts of Tampa Bay continue to talk about using a water ferry service for travel, it is being done to a certain extent already in Clearwater. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is offering a water ferry service between its Island Estates facility and Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure downtown. The water ferry has been running for about six months, said Krista Rosado, spokeswoman for the aquarium. Visitors to see Winter the dolphin can travel about 1.5 miles over the water between the two attractions aboard a 40-passenger catamaran. The aquarium has two of the catamarans to ferry visitors back and forth. After docking at the Clearwater Harbor Marina downtown, visitors take a short, uphill walk to the Harborview Center. Already, the …
Monday, July 16, 2012
City leaders are expected to confirm a rental agreement of the first floor of the Harborview Center for storage space for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure exhibit at their work session meeting Monday.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s downtown presence is expanding. At least that is what officials there hope. City leaders are expected to confirm a rental agreement of the first floor of the Harborview Center for storage space for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure exhibit at their work session meeting Monday. The 5,314 square foot space on the ground floor includes the former Pickles Plus Too restaurant. City manager Bill Horne approved the lease but it still is subject to confirmation and approval of the City Council as required by the City Charter. Aquarium officials requested to lease the space to store supplies related to the Winter’s Dolphin Tale exhibit. The 12-month lease is expected to start when …
Monday, June 18, 2012
Ricky and Lucy, African Great White pelicans that played the role of Rufus in the movie Dolphin Tale, will now be living at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Jared Leone
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Monday, June 18, 2012
Sure, the rescue and rehabilitation work the Clearwater Marine Aquarium does for waterborne animals is well known. But they also have been fowl friendly for years. And after bringing in Rufus, played by Lucy and Ricky, two separate African Great White Pelicans in the movie Dolphin Tale, they will once again care for at least two birds. A welcome party was Friday at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. *** When David Yates first came to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium as its president, Alex, a brown pelican, used to roam the hallways. Many employees and visitors befriended him, Yates said. Alex now is at the Florida Aquarium, Yates said. There had to be a way to add that element, that character, into Dolphin Tale, Yates said when crews first came…
27.97762
-82.81882
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
249 Windward Psge, Clearwater Beach, FL
/articles/rufus-comes-to-clearwater-marine-aquarium
932625
/locations/7237878
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The latest attraction at Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure, Hurricane Experience, is a walk through exhibit featuring recreated Dolphin Tale movie sets and the Category 1 Hurricane Leroy.
The lights flicker. Lightning flashes. Thunder claps. The howl of wind comes through windows. There is rain and the popping from a downed power line is ear rattling. Walk down the hallway, where drywall along the ceiling is broken. The floor rocks slightly back and forth, an aluminum lawn chair comes close to crashing through the half boarded up window. Weather team analysts warn about flooding and former news anchor Jenn Holloway warns that Hurricane Leroy is making landfall at Clearwater Beach and the weather phenomenon, featuring the thunder and lightning, is unlike anything seen since 2005. "Stay away from the windows," Holloway says. The screen flashes to a radar map and Holloway continues talking: "It is too late for you to evacuate…
Monday, January 9, 2012
City leaders are set to talk about changes to the nearly $700,000 settlement with Pickles Plus Too that would allow the deli to stay in the space at the Harborview Center an additional three months.
City leaders are set to talk about changes to the nearly $700,000 settlement with Pickles Plus Too that could allow the deli to stay in the space at the Harborview Center an additional three months. While city officials would be looking to recoup some of the $6,549 a month payout to the deli, attorneys for the restaurant are asking for the current terms to stay in place. If the deal is worked out, it would keep the deli open Feb. 29 to May 31 so restaurant officials can negotiate a lease on another downtown location, according to a Dec. 13 letter from Pickles Plus Too attorneys to the city. However, the City Council would have to approve any changes to the settlement which paid $688,000 for the deli to leave its lease nearly eight and half…
27.96572
-82.80366
Pickles Plus Too
320 Cleveland St, Clearwater, FL
/articles/pickles-plus-deal-sours
929649
/locations/6147707
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure, the downtown attraction that features a behind-the-scenes look at the movie, opened in the Harborview Center on Wednesday.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Jared Leone
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Thursday, December 15, 2011
Levi Larochelle came out of his shell the day he swam with Winter the Dolphin. His mother Kimberly never saw her son smile like he did that day on June 26, 2010. Levi, 11, has Aspergers Syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder that causes him to have a seemingly isolating, emotionally vacant and acute focus on things that interest him. But all that melted away when he got in the water with Winter. For the first time, Kimberly saw him smile. Hugs. Kisses. The emotions just poured out. Even sarcasm. “What I saw was amazing,” Larochelle said. “I never saw that smile for 10 years.” He has gotten to swim eight times, and is one of “Winter’s Friends.” Still, Kimberly sees the changes in his emotions, and other children in his play group choose to …
27.96913
-82.801179
300 N Osceola Ave, Clearwater, FL
/articles/friends-and-fans-come-out-for-opening-of-winter-s-dolphin-tale-adventure
/locations/8910424
Dorothy Bryan
10:17 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
I think it is wonderful how the Clearwater Marine Aquarium is receiving help. I know from recent news that the Seabird Sanctuary has been having problems with IRS and other issues. However the comfort and safety the birds there is a concern to me. How can we as a community give assistance to these birds. I used to visit there when I would visit from up north and when I lived on Indian Rocks Beach… more ›