Portland Aquarium Explained

Zoo Name:Portland Aquarium
Location:16323 SE McLoughlin, Oak Grove, Oregon, United States
Date Opened:December 15, 2012
Date Closed:February 16, 2016
Coordinates:45.405°N -122.624°W
Area:2acres
Floorspace:12500ft2
Num Species:2,500
Module:
Stroke-Color:
  1. C60C30
Marker:zoo
Marker-Color:
  1. 1F2F57
Zoom:14
Wikidata:yes
Zoom:18
Marker:zoo

The Portland Aquarium was a 12500ft2 for-profit aquarium in Oak Grove, Oregon, United States that opened to the public on December 15, 2012.[1]

On February 16, 2016 the aquarium closed and the animals will were distributed to other aquariums in its chain of private, for-profit aquariums.[2] [3] Many of the animals were sold to third parties.[4] One of the founders, Vince Covino, went on to launch a chain of other aquariums and interactive wildlife attractions called SeaQuest.[5]

Organization

The Portland Aquarium was a private, for-profit aquarium built with funding provided by an investment group. According to the owners, the for-profit model was chosen to allow the aquarium to be built quickly. The aquarium was constructed in a leased former steakhouse in Oak Grove. It was initially proposed to be called the "Oregon Aquarium."[6]

The Portland Aquarium was a limited liability company whose current members are Crystal Covino, David Rowe and Shane Shimada.[7] The founding owners, in 2012, were brothers Vince and Ammon Covino, and Marc Gottlieb of Boise, ID.[8] Vince and Ammon Covino also were involved in starting the Idaho Aquarium in Boise and the Austin Aquarium in Texas.[9] The Idaho Aquarium has since been taken over by a new director and new board members, in response to legal problems and controversies involving Ammon Covino and his co-founder, Chris Conk.[10]

Portland Aquarium was not an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) or the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA); it was "taking the steps necessary to become AZA and ZAA accredited."[11]

The aquarium closed on February 16, 2016. Founder Vince Covino, went on to launch a chain of other non-profit aquariums and interactive wildlife attractions called SeaQuest.

Features

The Portland Aquarium featured 30 exhibits displaying more than 2,500 species.[1] Animals exhibited included sharks and stingrays, a giant Pacific octopus, a jellyfish exhibit, a cold water tank with fish found off the Oregon Coast, and warm water tanks and tide pools with tropical fish.[12] In addition to aquatic and marine exhibits, the aquarium included a rainforest room with animals like tree frogs, lizards, and lorikeets.[13] The Portland Aquarium was intended to be a “hands-on” educational experience that would provide ample opportunity to pet and feed aquarium animals. Most exhibits were geared toward children about age 10.[6] The aquarium was located on a two-acre site that was zoned to permit the aquarium to build outdoor exhibits in the future.[12] Proposed future exhibits included a 30,000-gallon shark tank and a seal exhibit.[14]

Controversies

One of the original co-owners of the Portland Aquarium, Ammon Covino, was arrested on February 21, 2013, in Boise, Idaho, on charges of illegally harvesting marine animals.[15] He later pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally obtain sharks and rays from the wild in Florida and was sentenced to a year and one day in prison.[16] In October 2015, he was rearrested for allegedly violating terms of his two-years of supervised release by getting involved again in the family aquariums.[17]

At least two senior employees of the Portland Aquarium, including a veterinarian, quit their jobs at the aquarium citing concerns about how the animals were being treated.[18] Along with this, a former employee from the Portland aquarium showed to The Oregonian a death log of animals that had died in the aquarium from February 18 to May 16, 2013. The death log contained over 200 animals that died during that time, causing much controversy and making the Oregon Humane Society launch an investigation to the aquarium.[19] The aquarium has been subject to citizen protests at the site.[20]

Notes and References

  1. News: Portland Aquarium opens Dec. 15 . Culverwell . Wendy . November 29, 2012 . . December 11, 2012.
  2. Web site: Press Release . December 17, 2015 . Portland Aquarium . December 17, 2015 . Portland Aquarium will close their operation on February 16, 2016 and search for a new location. Animals to be carefully rehomed in aquariums across the country. The building housing Portland Aquarium has been sold and is being demolished in early 2016. ... A date or area for a new location has not yet been determined, though owners are considering local malls as a viable target. All animals will be relocated to other aquariums across the country. ... Our next Portland location will at least twice this size, and in a more fitting destination area. We’re excited about the future in Portland, though we will be more patient in finding the right location next time.” A new location is being sought out due to size constraints of the current 12,000 square foot facility. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151218072458/http://www.portlandaquarium.net/press-release/ . December 18, 2015 .
  3. Web site: Controversial Portland Aquarium's owner defends venture (photos). OregonLive.com. December 19, 2015 . November 6, 2017.
  4. Web site: Portland Aquarium is Closing heard they are selling off livestock - Reef Central Online Community. www.ReefCentral.com. November 6, 2017.
  5. Web site: Arrest is latest problem for family tied to new Utah aquarium . 2023-05-22 . The Salt Lake Tribune . en-US.
  6. News: Idaho brothers eye Clackamas County site for potential children's aquarium . Harbarger . Molly . July 15, 2012 . . 2012-08-28.
  7. Web site: Secretary of State. Oregon. Business Name Search . egov.sos.state.or.us . 2014-10-23.
  8. Web site: Archived copy . 2015-10-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141024092414/http://records.sos.state.or.us/webdrawer/webdrawer.dll/webdrawer/rec/2494778/view/SOS%20-%20Corporation%20-%20Business%20Entity%20Filing%20Records%20-%2086632099.PDF . October 24, 2014 . mdy-all .
  9. News: Sarah . Drake . Portland, Boise aquarium owners bringing one to Austin . Austin . Austin Business Journal . June 6, 2013 . 2013-06-13.
  10. News: Sewell. Cynthia. Things are going swimmingly for Idaho Aquarium, at last. 2014-10-23. Idaho Statesman. December 9, 2013.
  11. Web site: Public Statement. August 30, 2013. Portland Aquarium . 2015-03-30 . We are taking the steps necessary to become AZA and ZAA accredited. This is a long and difficult process but we are working on the requirements to apply for these associations. Not all aquariums are AZA members and many did not open as AZA members. It can take years before an aquarium can achieve the requirements..
  12. News: Oregon Aquarium bringing puffins, hands-on exhibits to SE McLoughlin site . Harbarger . Molly . August 14, 2012 . . August 30, 2012.
  13. News: Old Black Angus restaurant is being turned into an aquarium . Cheesman . Shannon . August 30, 2012 . . August 30, 2012.
  14. News: Brothers hope new aquarium lures families . Vondersmith . Jason . December 6, 2012 . . December 11, 2012.
  15. News: Edwards. Victoria. Portland Aquarium co-owner accused of illegally harvesting marine animals for Boise facility. March 1, 2013. The Oregonian. February 21, 2013.
  16. News: Associated Press. Portland Aquarium co-founder gets prison term in Florida for illegal marine animal shipments. October 23, 2014. The Oregonian. December 2, 2013.
  17. Web site: Former Portland Aquarium co-owner arrested, accused of violating post-prison probation. OregonLive.com. October 27, 2015 . November 6, 2017.
  18. News: Edwards. Victoria. Portland Aquarium logs 200 marine animal deaths; Humane Society investigates. October 23, 2014. The Oregonian. August 27, 2013.
  19. Web site: Kretzer . Michelle . September 25, 2013 . Update: Hundreds of Animals Die at the Portland Aquarium—and Austin May Be Next. October 11, 2014.
  20. News: Bamesberger. Michael. Protesters say Portland Aquarium co-founder was 'caught red-handed'. October 23, 2014. The Oregonian. December 7, 2013.

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