Gulf World loses International Alliance Accreditation
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – The alliance of marine mammal parks and aquariums, or AMMPA is an association that acts as a sanctioning body for marine parks worldwide.
AMMPA lists 26 accredited parks in the US, nine of them in Florida. Gulf World Marine Park is no longer one of them.
Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach is a completely separate facility from Gulf World. It's been accredited through AMMPA for almost 15 years.
'The alliance enables us to reach for the gold standard of animal care and welfare, taking that knowledge and best practices of so many organizations throughout the world that care for marine mammals and be able to implement those,' Gulfarium Director Patrick Berry said.
AMMPA's website claims the alliance has the 'most comprehensive and stringent' accreditation standards. Facilities must pass the requirements every five years, which involves a multi-day, on-site inspection.
Gulf World has filed for bankruptcy
The list of inspection requirements is long and covers just about everything in a marine park, including animal health and welfare, public interaction programs, and record keeping.
'They're extremely thorough. There's 11 different sections in our standards guidelines, and within each of those sections, they're broken down into even finer details of what standards we need to follow. So it's a very detailed, very scrutinized accreditation inspection,' Berry said.
It is unclear whether Gulf World failed the inspection, opted out of renewing, or had the accreditation removed.
Gulf World first came under fire in March after a dolphin died during a public show, the fourth in less than six months.
Drone videos posted online show dark, murky, algae-filled pools where dolphins are still housed.
The park remains open to the public and as of April 24th, they're still offering dolphin encounter experiences.
Gulf World and owners, The Dolphin Company, have remained tight-lipped about operations, and have refused to return any of News13's calls or emails.
Last month, Gulf World filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in federal court, gutted the leadership staff, and hired a restructuring team.
That team has also failed to return News13's communication attempts.
The bankruptcy proceedings are ongoing.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fast Company
02-06-2025
- Fast Company
Big Lots June store reopenings: See the full list of ‘4th wave' locations that will open this week
This week, home discount retail chain Big Lots will open dozens of additional stores, marking the culmination of the beloved brand's dramatic turnaround after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late last year. Here's what you need to know about June's Big Lots store reopenings. Big Lots bankruptcy was expected to be the end In December 2024, Big Lots announced that it had filed for bankruptcy and would be closing all of its roughly 800 locations. But in a surprising turn of events, the chain was saved from completely going out of business after another discount retail chain operator, Variety Wholesalers, swept in and agreed to buy 219 Big Lots locations from liquidator Gordon Brothers. Variety Wholsalers, which also owns discount retail chains including Bargain Town and Super Dollar, said it would not only keep the 219 stores alive, but that it would operate them under the Big Lots brand, after a period of renovation and re-merchandising. Prior Big Lots reopenings Variety Wholesalers said it would reopen the 219 Big Lots stores it acquired in four waves, with the first beginning in April. Here's how many stores Big Lots opened in each prior wave: Now, Big Lots will be commencing its fourth wave of store openings. 78 Big Lots 'fourth wave' June reopenings Big Lots' fourth wave of store reopenings will happen this week, with 78 stores opening across nine states. The planned opening date is Thursday, June 5. The states with the most store reopenings in the fourth wave include North Carolina, with 22 locations reopening; Ohio, with 13 locations reopening; and Pennsylvania, with 11 stores reopening. Here is the full Big Lots store reopening list for June: Florida 6247 Highway 90, Milton, FL 32570 2384 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, FL 34606 3401 13th St Ste 100, St. Cloud, FL 34769 843 W Bloomingdale Ave, Brandon, FL 33511 3048 E College Ave, Ruskin, FL 33570 13970 N Cleveland Ave, North Ft. Myers, FL 33903 4901 Palm Beach Blvd Ste 230, Fort Myers, FL 33905 Georgia 127 Commerce Ave, LaGrange, GA 30241 3111 Highway 278 NW, Covington, GA 30014 13 Lester Rd Ste C, Statesboro, GA 30458 Kentucky 3000 Scottsville Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42104 North Carolina 125 Weaver Blvd, Weaverville, NC 28787 273 Franklin Plaza Dr, Franklin, NC 28734 1176 Russ Ave, Waynesville, NC 28786 1639 US Highway 74A Byp, Spindale, NC 28160 1450 Andrews Rd, Murphy, NC 28906 1251 Burkemont Ave, Morganton, NC 28655 711 E Innes St, Salisbury, NC 28144 280 Concord Pkwy N, Concord, NC 28027 720 NC 24 27 Byp E, Albemarle, NC 28001 950 S Cannon Blvd Ste A, Kannapolis, NC 28083 1677 Westchester Dr, High Point, NC 27262 2531 Eastchester Dr, High Point, NC 27265 630 Lakestone Commons Ave, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 2950 S Horner Blvd, Sanford, NC 27332 1371 N Sandhills Blvd, Aberdeen, NC 28315 1664 S Main St Ste B, Laurinburg, NC 28352 520 Berne Sq, New Bern, NC 28562 2750C N Roberts Ave, Lumberton, NC 28358 1110 Western Blvd, Jacksonville, NC 28540 2900 Arendell St Ste 19, Morehead City, NC 28557 6832 F Market St, Wilmington, NC 28405 4600 Main St Ste 1, Shallotte, NC 28470 Ohio 8489 Market St, Mentor, OH 44060 12588 Rockside Rd, Cleveland, OH 44125 1890 W Market St, Akron, OH 44313 405 Howe Ave, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 241 W Wooster Rd, Barberton, OH 44203 426 East Waterloo Rd, Akron, OH 44319 1336 Whipple Ave NW, Canton, OH 44708 10560 Harrison Ave, Harrison, OH 45030 3640 Werk Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45248 110 S 7th St, Marietta, OH 45750 9025 Ohio River Rd, Wheelersburg, OH 45694 400 Silver Bridge Plz, Gallipolis, OH 45631 367 County Rd 406 Ste B, South Point, OH 45680 Pennsylvania 750 Ohio River Blvd, Rochester, PA 15074 4717 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 2444 Philadelphia St, Indiana, PA 15701 11628 Penn Hills Dr, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 254 Oak Spring Rd, Washington, PA 15301 6041 State Route 30 Ste 20, Greensburg, PA 15601 1425 Scalp Ave Ste 130, Johnstown, PA 15904 389 N Reading Rd, Ephrata, PA 17522 500 Lincoln Hwy Ste 4, Fairless Hills, PA 19030 2140 White St, York, PA 17404 1150 Carlisle St, Hanover, PA 17331 South Carolina 1206 Highway 9 Bypass W, Lancaster, SC 29720 9221 Two Notch Rd Ste 30, Columbia, SC 29223 6169 St. Andrews Rd, Columbia, SC 29212 1641 Church St, Conway, SC 29526 710 Hwy 17 S Ste D, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 1370 S Kings Hwy, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 1013 Old Highway 52, Moncks Corner, SC 29461 431 Saint James Ave Unit G, Goose Creek, SC 29445 10150 Dorchester Rd Unit 227, Summerville, SC 29485 328 Robert Smalls Pkwy, Beaufort, SC 29906 Tennessee 633 S Jefferson Ave, Cookeville, TN 38501 1301 S James Campbell Blvd, Columbia, TN 38401 1913 Sherwood Rd, Kingsport, TN 37664 3901 Hixson Pike Ste 157, Chattanooga, TN 37415 1426 N Gateway Ave, Rockwood, TN 37854 Virginia 180 Kents Ridge Rd, Richlands, VA 24641 1090 Bypass Rd, Vinton, VA 24179 6610 Mooretown Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23188 2318 W Mercury Blvd, Hampton, VA 23666 1851 E Little Creek Rd, Norfolk, VA 23518 1971 S Military Hwy, Chesapeake, VA 23320 No more Big Lots openings? With the additional 78 Big Lots stores reopening in its fourth wave this week, Variety Wholesalers will have reopened all 219 stores that it said it would after acquiring them from Gordon Brothers. While fans of the retail brand are undoubtedly happy to have hundreds of locations reopened, the 219-store count represents just over a quarter of the Big Lots locations that were open at the end of last year. Privately held Variety Wholesalers has not publicly announced plans to open any brand-new Big Lots locations at this time. For now, if there isn't a Big Lots location near you after the fourth wave of reopenings this week, it's likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Yahoo
Protest continues as Gulf World dolphin removal is delayed
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – U.S. Congressman Neal Dunn's office reported that seven bottlenose dolphins were cleared for removal from Gulf World on Friday. They were expected to be removed by Saturday. A video shows that preparations for the dolphin's removal are underway. Protesters camped outside Gulf World all Friday night, and say they haven't seen the dolphins leave yet. Protestors say they just want the dolphins removed, but not to another facility owned by the Dolphin Company. Gulf World Marine Park dolphins potentially being moved within the next 24 hours The park reportedly has 11 dolphins left. According to the latest update from Neal Dunn's office, there are still four living rough-tooth dolphins without permits for removal. 'We are begging, begging, begging. Please. We know that you guys have a permit to get these Southern Bottlenose dolphins out. There are still four rusty dolphins in there. We need all the dolphins. Like, we are concerned for the safety of every single living creature there,' protester Jamie Marghany said. After hearing confirmation that a fifth dolphin died on Wednesday, protestors want state-level action. 'It's inhumane. It's animal abuse on the highest level. And I am so sad that our Governor Ron DeSantis, our attorney general, has not done anything to step up and save these animals,' protester Cheryl Cargile said. The park closed unexpectedly on Wednesday and is said to remain closed until June 3rd. However, tickets were still available for purchase online the day before. Now, ticket-buyers are struggling to get a refund. 'We went online and Tuesday to look for the tickets. We put it up here because I've always wanted to run the Dolphins here, and it shows open not to fortnightly. So we've been coming down through here, and it shows daily, and it shows right here on their little sign, their little advertisement of everything. The people that's beside me from Georgia bought their tickets online they bought their tickets online. But when you go to call my brother Justine, they hang the phone number so they won't even speak,' Gulf World customer Amy Killian said. Gulf World employees were on-site, but did not provide refunds. Protesters believe Gulf World is hiding what conditions the animals are living in. 'We know for a fact that they are Photoshopping pictures because we had someone go in the same day that they posted a photo. Theirs is perfectly blue, clear water, and the actual photo is green. So the dolphins all have abnormalities and issues. They're shocking with granular chemicals because the numbers are broken. It's just not a good situation,' Marghany said. AFib awareness: Stroke risks & advanced treatment options They believe Gulf World is leaving a negative impact on tourists visiting Panama City Beach. 'I have a two-year-old grandbaby that's still crying, wanting to go in there, baby, we can't go in there, honey. They're not alive. And how do you explain that to a two-year-old?' Killian added. The fight isn't just for the dolphins. Protestors want all of the animals to be removed from Gulf World. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Yahoo
PART 1: Remember these restaurants, stores around Dayton?
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Over the last several decades, countless eateries and stores have entered and departed the Dayton region. is taking you down memory lane by showcasing some fan-favorite restaurants and retail giants that are either no longer operating in the area or are gone altogether. Three Arthur Treacher's locations currently operate in northeast Ohio. A majority of the area's remaining Blockbuster locations closed in 2012. A closure impacted all Border's locations in 2011. The last Chi-Chi's Mexican Restaurant location closed in 2004. Circuit City closed all locations in early 2009. All CompUSA locations closed in the 2010s. Cub Foods shut its last Dayton area store down in early 2013. All Elder-Beerman and Elder-Beerman Furniture Gallery locations closed in 2018. All Fashion Bug stores closed in 2013. In late 2015, Flower Factory commenced going-out-of-business sales. Fox and Hound operated several locations across the region until closing in the mid 2010s. Friendly's closed its last location in the area in the mid 2010s. All hhgregg stores closed in 2017. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, all Hollywood Video locations closed by summer 2010. All locations of Linens 'n Things closed in 2008. Hometown Buffet, formerly Old Country Buffet, closed its remaining area location on Lyons Road in 2011. The final area K-Mart location closed in 2017. The last area Lone Star Steakhouse location closed in 2018 in Middletown. All Phar-Mor stores closed in 2002. Quizno's had several locations in the Miami Valley, but closed its last remaining area location a number of years ago at Dayton International Airport . Nearly all remaining RadioShack stores closed down in 2015 in the area. Schlotzky's closed its doors for good at Cross Pointe Shopping Center in Centerville in 2018. Sears closed its locations at the Dayton Mall and Mall at Fairfield Commons in late 2018. The retailer had closed several other of its area locations in the months and years prior. All Stein Mart locations closed by October 2020 after the company filed for bankruptcy protection. After filing for bankruptcy protection, Toys R Us closed its brick-and-mortar stores in the Dayton area in 2018. Got a restaurant or store that you remember from the area? Send me an email here and your suggestion could appear in a future list. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
