Interview: Roger Germann

Cool science

The Florida Aquarium’s role in Tampa Bay includes economic impact and an educational role that focuses on STEM

How does The Florida Aquarium impact the region? The Florida Aquarium is a nonprofit organization that will celebrate its 25th anniversary through 2021. We are a conservation-based attraction that, I believe, is one of the crown jewels in the city of Tampa and also for the Tampa Bay region. Our mission is to educate, entertain and conserve our natural world. Our mission is to save and protect wildlife and wild places through conservation, education, entertainment, and advocacy. We play a very important economic role here in the Tampa Bay region and the whole of Florida. We provide a base for economics, we are an economic driver, we are an education leader, we are striving to save wildlife on the blue planet and we like to have fun. At the end of the day, I believe the best way to describe us is that we are like a cool science teacher. Roger Germann President & CEO – The Florida Aquarium

What is the key to the aquarium’s growth In 2019, we had 842,000 people come through our doors, and it was one of of our largest years ever. We are up 5% year-over-year in growth as far as attendance goes and that is an economic boost that has positive effects on our community. The key to our sustained growth has been twofold. The first is that we opened up some new exhibits, which I think is critical. In our industry, the attraction and entertainment industry, we are competing for disposable income dollars so we want to make sure that we are always fresh, relevant and innovative. Our two newest exhibits Heart of the sea and Moon Bay, help us in this regard. The second key is that people are very much in tune with our connectivity to saving wildlife. Unfortunately, there has become more of a nature disconnect as more people are living in urban settings and not necessarily getting out in nature and appreciating it. We are combating this with the conservation work we are doing, and people are starting to recognize that their dollars spent at places like this are going toward saving the environment.

How is the aquarium involved in education? When I look at our universities and the programs they are working on, I believe we are going to start seeing more innovation and marine industry professionals being born out of the Bay. We will see more marine science and marine innovation happening here because people feel there is opportunity in this sector. Our learning programs at the aquarium are not just textbook learning; instead, we are trying to focus on STEM education and preparing a lot of the young people to go into STEM careers. We are working to have these students go to schools like the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa, so ultimately they can create a workforce that comes right back into this region to work. This is critical for us to continue the job growth in our marine industry.

( ) Not only are high-class boutique hotels setting up operations in Tampa, but the region is also drawing big names, such as Marriott, Westin and Hilton. The CURRENT Hotel, a 180-room hotel that is part of the Marriott’s Autograph Collection, has a beach and waterfront access for paddleboarding and other activities. Hotel Alba is part of the Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, and the Westin Tampa Waterside recently underwent a $20 million renovation to include the Blue Harbor restaurant. “Having all this new supply of rooms in the market is providing positive momentum and growth to the Tampa Bay Region and certainly makes entities like Visit Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s jobs a little easier. Being able to offer this type of innovative product that is coming online really speaks to the evolution of the Tampa Bay hospitality market. We have been an undervalued market for quite a while, but with all the free press that Tampa Bay is receiving thanks to massive development’s like Water Street Tampa, it is driving more people into the region, which increases the demand for more hotels. All of which is ultimately great for the economy of the entire region,” said Stan Lifsey, co-owner of the CURRENT Hotel, to Invest:.

And as new hotels spring up, existing owners are improving the quality of their hotel offerings with multimillion-dollar renovations. Most notably, the Tampa Marriott Water Street completed a $50 million overhaul, the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk invested $7 million in an upgrade, and the Seminole Hard Rock unveiled its eye-watering $700 million renovation, which adds 562 rooms, three pools and a 26,000-squarefoot salon, among other features.

One recurring challenge for all hotels is staff turnover and talent acquisition. “Employee turnover in this industry is an ongoing challenge that does not have a clear-cut resolution, especially in Tampa where new hotels and restaurants are opening on a weekly basis,” Epicurean Hotel General Manager Kevin Scott, told Invest:. “Our key to navigating this issue is to ensure that we create a safe environment where employees are encouraged to speak their minds, give feedback and relay their input without the threat of it affecting their jobs. We work to empower our leaders to lead by example and foster great relationships between their departments. We are also in a sweet spot because we are a midsized hotel with a staff that consists of around 150 people, which means that if one person suddenly calls off or quits, it is not the end of the world.”

Cruises and marine tourism Due to its privileged location in the Caribbean, Florida is the most important U.S. state for the cruise industry, accounting for almost 60% of all boardings. In 2018, Port Tampa Bay was the sixth-biggest cruise port in the United States and the cruise industry contributed $8.9 billion to Florida’s economy in 2018. For the 2019 fiscal year, Port Tampa Bay welcomed a milestone 1,149,289 passengers, up from 1,043,329 in the same period of 2018. During that year, five ships from Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Norwegian Cruise Line used Tampa as a home port.

Business Research & Economic Advisors estimates that a 3,000-passenger ship generates $334,000 in passenger and crew onshore spending per call in a home port city. Direct expenditures from the cruise industry in Florida generates a total economic impact of 154,646 jobs and $7.69 billion in wages and salaries, according to Cruise Lines International Association.

Shaun Kwiatkowski General Manager – The Godfrey Hotel and Cabanas Tampa

Being an independent brand can create benefits, but there are also challenges to that. As the business and the industry have evolved, demand has changed and today many people want something di™erent from the corporate type of hotel. Not to take anything away from those brands, but people do want to have the unique and fun experience that an independent brand can provide, similar to our food and beverage experience in WTR Pool & Grill. That is exactly who we are. If we look at the market as a whole, we are starting to see some of those big-name brands evolve into a more independent style. We are seeing those independent, millennialfocused brands growing in popularity, especially in this area.

But for Tampa’s cruise industry to be sustainable, authorities are well aware of climate-related issues that need to be addressed. In November, red tide was found in the waters off Manatee County and respiratory irritation was reported in Sarasota. Red tide impacts economic activity including retail, fishing, hotels and equipment rental and in 2018, Florida businesses reported nearly $150 million in losses as a result of the organism.

As the climate warms, St. Petersburg authorities are taking steps to protect low-lying areas by rezoning and designating Coastal High Hazard Areas. The problem is that, with an increasing population, the space taken up by these designated areas conflicts with population density and exacerbates the housing shortage in Tampa. City Council members are examining options that include developing multifamily units on elevated structures in High Hazard Areas.

It is not just the authorities trying to ensure the ports remain sustainable. Industries that exist there are also rolling up their sleeves, with the Florida Aquarium recently announcing plans to install a new solarpowered rooftop and canopies, a project that will cost roughly $3 million and include 1,140 solar panels. It is expected to be completed by the fall of 2020 under the direction of Tampa-based BDG Architects. The Aquarium also partnered with Corona this summer in an initiative where the brewer pledged $1 for every case of Corona Extra cans sold in Hillsborough County over June and July. And smaller actions are also making a big impact, with Norwegian Cruise Lines pledging to end its use of plastic bottles across all lines.

The Tampa Bay tourism industry logged a record year in 2019, bringing in $35.4 million in tourism taxes.