SARASOTA, Fla. — As the famous Mote Marine Aquarium prepares to move to a new home, a proposed plan to develop a city of Sarasota-owned park next door has made its way to the city commission for consideration.
The plan boasts of various additions to revamp the Ken Thompson Park on Lido Key to make it attractive to local families and still keep tourists coming back.
Despite the enhancements promised, some residents have concerns and reservations about the proposal.
The proposal, which is available on the city commission's agenda, also shows renderings of what the park would look like and come with.
"Park golf, topiary gardens, zip lines, scenic tower, beachfront, restaurant," said Jeff Koffman, a Sarasota-based entrepreneur.
Koffman, who co-owns Ride Entertainment, has proposed a public-private partnership with the city to enhance the park and bring in a slew of new amenities which will also include a 120-foot tall tower ride and a water taxi service.
"The Mote Aquarium is leaving here so 300,000 people that come here right now as an attraction are not going to be coming here," Koffman said. "So if you're going to be bringing a water taxi, there are reasons for people from Longboat to go to Sarasota, but you have to give people from Sarasota a reason to come to the keys."
Some residents have indicated that they liked the idea of investing in and enhancing the family park by making it safe and attractive.
"I think it would bring some additional attributes to the area for people to enjoy and that's what it's for," said Carole Neidig, a resident in Sarasota.
"I do believe that something like this is for everyone so it's going to be more people here," said Eduardo Sylvestre with Sarasota Sailing Squadron. "That's what we want, more people for water sports."
Even though optimistic about the prospect, residents are also worried such extensive development and foot traffic could affect the quality of the green space and add to the area's ongoing infrastructure and space problems.
"In the high season, it will be more congested like it is," Sylvestre said.
"We enjoy the tourists, but we don't like the traffic aspect and some places, on a nice day for a quiet walk, it's nice to have the quiet and not have lots of people surrounding you," Neidig said.
"I think that many people living on the barrier islands feel that St. Armand's is already a traffic choke point," said Chris Goglia, president of the St. Armands Residents Association. "We're about to experience the high tourist season during which any good weather day can result in peak traffic when it can take residents, tourists, employees, service providers, contractors and caregivers over an hour to travel a few miles from Longboat Key to downtown.
"People are likely concerned about the impact of having a major tourist attraction out here during those times."
While the plan is in the early stages of going through the proposing process, some in the community hope to be carried along on the improvements if it gets the go-ahead from the commission.
"If they are planning something like that, they should involve us, they should involve Save The Birds next door, they should involve everybody," Sylvestre said. "Get everybody involved so we can help out with not only ideas but suggest some great stuff for us."
"Build it and they will come and I think that's really what will happen here," Koffman said.
The proposal presentation to the commission is scheduled for the next city commission meeting on Feb. 5.