Arctic Science Journeys
Radio Script
1996

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Sea Life Center Sparks Economic Growth
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Jack and Shiela Scoby are two such entrepreneurs. Their new office building sits one block from where the Sea Life Center is being constructed. Jack Scoby says he built the offices in anticipation of the growth the center would bring to the community of just 2,500 people.

"The Sea Life Center is definitely going to bring business to town as a spin off from it. Anytime you have a major business attraction or science center like that coming in you're going to have a lot of support people involved there too."

Scoby's building is occupied by a large bookstore specializing in nautical charts, an architectural firm and a management firm. The building also houses the offices of the Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science, the nonprofit corporation operating the Sea Life Center.

Besides professional services, business that cater to tourists--such as bed and breakfasts--have sprung up. A short walk along the waterfront from the Sea Life Center is Kenai Fjords Tours, a company that offers visitors an up-close view of Prince William Sound's glaciers, whales, sea lions and other sights. Four years ago owner Tom Tougas began taking Alaska students on marine science field trips. He now runs such tours throughout the spring.

"We have a boat that is specifically divided up into four classrooms. We do a session on the chemistry of water. We do a plankton tow where we tow a net behind the boat to pick up the plankton. Then each student has a microscope so they can see the microscopic organisms in the water. Then we go into an ecosystems discussion in the third area and in the fourth area we have a marine mammals and pelagic bird session."

While Scoby, Tougas and others are making plans to capitalize on the Sea Life Center, so far there are still very few outward signs of an economic boom.

"A lot of the downtown merchants have not yet figured out what impact it's going to have. A lot of them are still taking a wait and see attitude about it. There's still a large number of storefronts downtown which are empty . . . they've stayed empty for the last year and yet the asking price continues to go up as people anticipate the Sea Life Center."

The Sea Life Center is expected to be completed by 1998. Planners expect about 250,000 people a year to visit the center, which will be open year-round. For Arctic Science Journeys, this is Debra Damron.