New Interactive Destinations are coming to the UTC Area!
Big things are coming to the UTC area! Get excited for two new interactive facilities that your friends and family will all enjoy. PopStroke Entertainment and Mote’s Science Education Aquarium (SEA) are underway in Sarasota.
PopStroke Entertainment
PopStroke, a Tiger Woods golfing and dining entertainment experience, is opening a new location in the University Town Center area. This facility will feature a 36-hole putting course, outdoor games, a playground, and outdoor dining areas! PopStroke is equipped with a full dining menu that is filled with delicious appetizers, entrees, and a kid’s menu. While the kids are off playing games the adults can enjoy an ice-cold drink with friends. A broad drink selection will be available.
The new entertainment space will be constructed over the next 12 to 18 months, so you better start practicing your putts! This is definitely a place where you, your friends, and your family can have a great time and allow your competitiveness to come out!
Mote Science Education Aquarium (SEA)
Have you passed by the vast open grounds near Nathan Benderson Park? Well, you are about to see it come alive as construction begins on the new Mote Aquarium!
The team at Mote Marine have been pursuing a plan for their new research facility since 2018. The county approved a land deal with Mote, allocating 11 acres of county-owned land to develop a new four-story, 110,000 square-foot aquarium. The organization secured $20 million in tourist tax funding from Sarasota County and $5 million from Manatee County. As of summer 2020, Mote has raised $75 million in fundraising. Their goal is $130 million by the end of this year.
This new facility is expected to double or triple the participation in Mote’s award-winning, informal science education programs. They tailor marine science education to a variety of audiences, from children in pre-school to elder adults, from small local organizations to national science foundations.
“This spectacular new facility and campus will embody our vision of Oceans for All, doubling the number of visitors whose lives are enriched by marine science each year, and providing no-cost opportunities for all schools to utilize specialized teaching labs to ensure that every child has the opportunity for hands-on marine science and technology experiences. The oceans are connected to everyone, every place in the world, and our goal is to ignite within each visitor a greater degree of curiosity to learn more about the oceans and their critical value in providing the oxygen we breathe, food, medicine, economic impact and overall quality of our lives.” Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s President & CEO, Dr. Michael P. Crosby said.
Get excited for these new developments to arise! They will be great additions to the UTC area and give you and your family some fun, interactive activities to enjoy together.
James Brown
941.408.3332
James.a.brown@comcast.net