It has a name: Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters.
Dynasty Marine has announced the winning name in its name-the-aquarium contest for the new facility located at the foot of the Vaca Cut bridge in Marathon. Sandy and Jason Robinson of Grassy Key came up with the moniker for the attraction under construction.
Ben Daughtry of Dynasty Marine said the name does a good job of defining what the place is about and where it is.
“It just seemed right,” he said.
There were more than 100 suggestions submitted. One of the wackier ideas floated around the office was “Dyna-Quara-Thon.”
“That made everyone laugh,” Daughtry said.
The Robinson family — including Sara, 4, and Shaina, 2 — won a one-year family pass to the attraction.
“I expect that the end of the year, the little girls will have their masters degree in marine biology,” Daughtry said with a smile.
Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters will feature a tank — 75 feet long, 40 feet across and 10 feet deep — where visitors can interact with sealife. In addition, the facility will feature touch tanks and bridges across canals to the center island where guests can feed the fish.
According to Daughtry, water will be added to the tanks next month. The month after that, sealife will be introduced. The grand opening is set for June of 2014.
