3 suitors offer varying charms

By LENNIE BENNETT

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 20, 2000

Sunken Gardens is now being run by the St. Petersburg city parks department.

That could change.

The department is one of three suitors wanting to manage all or part of the property. The other two are Great Explorations and Butterfly Kingdoms Inc. The Sunken Gardens task force is considering the three options. After meeting Tuesday, it is expected to make a recommendation to the City Council, which will make the final decision. Here are the major points of each option, as presented in a consultant's report.

Option 1: City-other uses

City ownership and operation with excess space used for various commercial and public uses such as retail, a restaurant, meeting space and classrooms.

Admission: $4.50 adults, $3.50 seniors and children

Projected attendance: 125,000

Projected revenue: $577,000

Projected expenses: $774,000

Positives: "A municipal park allows fees to be set that are affordable . . . assuming the market could support tenants, the deficit would be at least partially offset . . . already the parks department has shown itself to be a capable manager."

Negatives: "Disadvantages are primarily financial . . . operating and capital costs have to be absorbed . . . significant advertising and marketing will have to be undertaken by the city . . . the physical improvements needed are substantial . . . the city carries the full financial responsibility."

Option 2: City-Great Explorations

City ownership and operation of the garden in partnership with Great Explorations museum in the main building.

Admission: Would vary. Great Explorations proposes charging $5 to those over age 3, seniors $2.50

Projected attendance at Great Explorations: 160,000 (The consultant assumed that 50 percent of those visitors also would visit Sunken Gardens, so its attendance for this option was raised to 205,000.)

Projected revenue from combined garden and museum: $729,000

Projected expenses: $774,000

Positives: "The city will create a home for Great Explorations . . . combined operations genuinely energize the site . . . there is an apparent physical and programatic connection between the two that works well . . . the garden will receive greater benefit in total attendance . . . combined staffing and operations become more efficient . . . financial costs of renovating the building will shift . . . potential exposure to city will be reduced."

Negatives: "Substantial improvement costs to the city will still burden the city . . . city will have less control . . . space demands of the museum will limit opportunities to support private restaurants . . . inevitable conflicts in management and style . . . parking demands will have to be handled . . . limitations on the ability of the museum to expand could strain the partnership in the future."

Option 3: Butterfly Kingdoms Inc.

BKI leases the garden and all related facilities from the city, manages and leases out space in the main building to commercial business.

Admission: $8

Projected attendance: 450,000

Projected revenue: $5,600,000

Projected expenses: $3,300,000

Positives: "The city will have the least amount of financial exposure . . . if the estimated attendance level can be achieved, a significant profit would be generated."

Negatives: "If BKI does not achieve estimated attendance, profit will not be achieved . . . attendance would be more than double what has ever been achieved at Sunken Gardens. It may not be reasonable . . . city loses direct control of the gardens . . . BKI did not respond to requests for additional financial data. This brings into question how forthright they would be as a partner."

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