Mote Marine picks builders for its Science Education Aquarium in Sarasota

Lakewood Ranch builder Willis A. Smith Construction was the big winner Thursday in the Mote Science Education Aquarium sweepstakes.

Forming a partnership with Orlando's Whiting-Turner Contracting, which has built a reputation as one of the nation's leading builders of aquariums, the Willis Smith/Whiting-Turner team rose above two other finalists in receiving the $130 million contract from Mote Marine.

The announcement was made on the fifth floor of the Nathan Benderson Park finish tower.

"It's going to be a truly iconic building," said Michael Crosby, Mote's president and CEO. "It's going to be holding more than a million gallons of water."

The building is planned for 110,000 square feet on the grounds of Nathan Benderson Park. A small barge was doing site work Thursday on the water adjacent to the finish tower where the aquarium ultimately will sit. Representatives from Willis Smith and Whiting-Turner said no date has been set to begin construction as they had just found out they had won the contract.

Crosby said the economic impact of the aquarium "knows no political boundaries."

He said the aquarium will average $28 million a year in economic impact for Sarasota and Manatee Counties once it opens. He said the first year of its construction will generate $280 million in economic impact.

"This is an enormous project, the biggest thing Mote has built," Crosby said. "It will be one of the biggest projects ever in this area."

Mote formed a board sub-committee to consider builders and eventually settled on the bid that would generate the most local impact. Crosby said the committee was impressed with Whiting-Turner's work on previous aquariums along with Willis Smith's major southwest Florida projects along with its many eco-friendly projects.

The Willis Smith team beamed during the announcement.

"This (aquarium) will not just be recognized locally," said David Sessions, Willis Smith's president and CEO. "It will have world-wide recognition because of its cutting-edge design."

Sessions said Willis Smith will hire as many local contractors as possible for the project.

Crosby also announced Mote has picked up another $2 million in financial commitment toward the aquarium in the last month. That increases the amount to $34 million for the project from philanthropic donors.