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Odyssey hunts more treasure

The marine salvage company expects its exhibit at MOSI to put much-needed profits into its coffers.

By Nina Kim, Times Staff Writer
Published June 22, 2007

A.J. Ponds, a gift shop lead sales associate, tours the Odyssey Marine Explorations multimedia exhibition "Shipwreck! Pirates & Treasure" at the Museum of Science and Industry. The show features objects from shipwrecks and interactive displays.
	[Times photo: Chris Zuppa]

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Chris Zuppa] Silver half-dollars recovered from SS Republic, sunk off Georgia by an 1865 hurricane.

It's no secret Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. has been challenged to generate revenue from themed attractions.

Back in 2005, Hurricane Katrina forced Odyssey's New Orleans attraction to close just two days after its grand opening.

But the Tampa-based treasure-hunting company remains optimistic with its "Shipwreck! Pirates & Treasure" exhibit, opening today at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa.

"We expect it to be profitable," said Mark Gordon, Odyssey's executive vice president of sales. "There's millions of dollars in investment."

MOSI's David Conley, vice president of exhibits, said he is also confident about the exhibit's success.

"Odyssey's 'Shipwreck!' compares remarkably well to other blockbuster exhibits," he said of its size and scope.

But Conley says it would be difficult for Odyssey's exhibit to reach the caliber of "Bodies," a touring display of preserved human bodies that ran from August 2005 to September 2006 at MOSI and has attracted 4-million people nationwide.

"There's nothing that's going to compare to 'Bodies' any time soon," Conley said.

Odyssey's sources of revenue consist of the sale of coins, retail and themed attractions.

But themed attractions have yet to be a large contributor of revenue, according to past quarterly financial reports. In fact, they generated no revenue during this year's first quarter.

Perhaps the 10, 000-square-foot "Shipwrecks!" exhibit, Odyssey's largest yet, will start a new trend for the company. Gordon says other museums nationwide have already expressed an interest in "Shipwreck!"

Fast Facts:

If you go
"Shipwreck! Pirates & Treasure" opens today and continues through Feb. 10.
MOSI hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tickets, which include "Shipwreck!" are $25.95 for adults, $22.95 for seniors and $20.95 for ages 2-12. Children under 2 are admitted free. 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa (813) 987-6100; www.mosi.org.

Nina Kim can be reached at nkim@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8913.

[Last modified June 21, 2007, 23:09:18]