Silver Springs Set to Become Florida State Park
Steamboat and railroad at Silver Springs in 1886. Photo by George Barker
Associated Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Silver Springs, one of Florida's oldest tourist attractions, is going out of business and will become a state park.
The north Florida attraction, famed for its glass bottom boats, has been plagued by low attendance and pollution, which has clouded its once-clear waters.
Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet on Wednesday agreed to accept a $4 million lease buy-out from Palace Entertainment.
The lease had called for the firm to manage the state-owned property near Ocala as an attraction through 2029. It now will end on Sept. 30. Palace will continue to manage the property as a tourist attraction until then, and then the Florida Park Service will take over.
The buy-out funds will be used to help clean up the pollution and restore the property to its natural condition.
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