Struggling, the Virginia Aquarium wants Virginia Beach to chip in $335,000

Virginia Beach — Like many organizations that rely on visitors for revenue, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center has struggled throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

The aquarium and its foundation have lost $5.5 million since the crisis began, said Cynthia W. Spanoulis, the Virginia Aquarium director.

The organization shut down for 96 days starting March 16. After reopening in June, the aquarium has seen a 31% decline in visitors through November.

The aquarium operates at 17% of its total capacity so guests can safely socially distance, Spanoulis said. Whale-watching boat trips have also been reduced from 125 to 60 guests.

The aquarium has tried several fundraising tactics to make up for the losses, but it hasn’t been enough.

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So now the foundation has requested $335,000 in COVID-19 relief funds from the city. The money will be spent on new food service equipment and foundation employee salaries, which did not qualify for federal COVID-19 relief, Spanoulis said.

Councilman Guy Tower, who represents the district where the aquarium is located, said the amount needed is relatively modest considering how heavily the aquarium has been impacted. He supports the request.

During the shutdown, the food vendor, Sodexo, decided to exercise a clause pertaining to unavoidable catastrophes to get out of its contract. It took the food preparation appliances so the aquarium needs approximately $250,000 to buy new equipment before a vendor begins sometime next year, Spanoulis said.

Additionally, the aquarium received $172,000 from the federal Paycheck Protection Program to cover employee salaries while the building was closed, but $85,700 is still needed to cover the pay of 22 employees who work for the foundation.

Unlike many other city departments, the aquarium is supported by a nonprofit foundation, which Spanoulis said contributes about $1 million per year for operations of the aquarium and has contributed $30 million in capital projects over the past 30 years.

“If the foundation needs to go and spend their own money on this food service equipment as well as the salaries, that would take away from the mission of our foundation, which is to of course provide the exhibits, the animals, our educational programming, and our research and conservation,” Spanoulis said.

Alissa Skelton, 757-995-9043, alissa.skelton@pilotonline.com.