New Gulfport aquarium stirring controversy

A petition has surfaced to put a stop to the $65 million aquarium project that will open in Gulfport in 2019 that will offer hands on attractions with marine life including a dolphin enclosure.
News 25’s Taylor Rubach caught up with some locals to hear their perspectives on the new facility.
Construction has started on the $65 million aquarium project in downtown Gulfport. As families are starting to enjoy their summer break at local parks, residents tell News 25 they’re excited for this facility that will offer more family oriented activities. Gulfport resident Kelvin Williams said, “I’m excited. I’ll take the kids. Let them go and have a good time and enjoy themselves and see the dolphins and have fun. They can’t go out in the water and see them so they can at least go in some closed area and see it happen.”
Waveland resident Kelvin Connolly said, “Ever since Hurricane Katrina, there really hasn’t been much to do. It’s entertaining for the children and family events and things like that.”
However, the new facility is stirring up some controversy with others who are against imprisoning dolphins using Gulf Restoration money and are signing petitions to push back on the new aquarium.
The Care 2 petition site already has over 177,000 signatures combined and they are only about 8,000 signatures shy of their goal of 185,000 supporters. Numbers are going up, with people across the U.S. signing the petition every minute. Locals writing messages saying ‘leave dolphins alone’ and to ‘free the dolphins before they go extinct.’
One Gulfport resident, Pamela Workman, understands both positives and negatives in harboring marine life. “I think that the people who would argue against having another aquarium or center would say that the animal’s depression could set in which could make their health deteriorate.”
The debate over whether the aquarium is a good fit for the Coast is sure to heat up as the project moves forward.