PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. Port Canaveral commissioners on Wednesday approved an updated 31-year lease for the Bowen Aquarium, clearing the way for a December groundbreaking, as newly obtained documents show the port is planning an overpass that would run alongside the aquarium site.
Commissioners voted September 23 to approve the lease with the East Coast Zoological Foundation, the nonprofit that operates Brevard Zoo, for the 14-acre site along the Banana River, FOX 35 Orlando reported. Under the lease, the foundation would pay the port $20,000 a month plus additional payments tied to attendance. More than $70 million has been raised for the aquarium.
Foundation CEO Keith Winsten said in a statement that the lease approval, along with approval of the project’s tax-exempt bond financing, moves the aquarium closer to its planned December 2 groundbreaking.
Commissioner raises access concerns
During the meeting, Commissioner Micah Loyd questioned whether road construction at the port could affect access to the aquarium. “It does look like from the outside perspective, that we could affect their revenue,” Loyd said, according to FOX 35.
FOX 35 reported that officials have not yet detailed plans to expand roadways or address traffic concerns. Commissioner Carol Craig called the vote an exciting step for the project while noting it was not the end of the process.
Port presented overpass plan to SCTPO
Two weeks before the lease vote, port officials presented a project titled the George King Boulevard (GKB) West Overpass Extension to the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) board on September 10, 2026. A copy of the presentation was obtained by The Space Coast Rocket.
According to the presentation, the port is in the design development phase of waterside and landside improvements for a new Cruise Terminal 4, known as CT-4. Port officials said the terminal is being designed to accommodate growing cruise demand and is expected to be complete in 2030.
Separately, the port is working on a new master plan to revitalize the Marina District, which includes roadway reconfigurations. The presentation also notes that the foundation is pursuing development of its aquarium on the port’s southwest corner parcel.
With those projects in the pipeline, the port stated that it seeks to separate and isolate traffic patterns and improve the SR A1A and George King Boulevard interchange with a new overpass.
What the drawing shows
An aerial site plan in the presentation, labeled “Option 1,” shows a new curved roadway extending south from the George King Boulevard interchange at SR 528 and looping along the eastern side of the future aquarium parcel before connecting back toward the aquarium site. The aquarium’s buildings and grounds appear on the western portion of the parcel in the drawing, with the new roadway alignment running near the area east of the buildings.
The presentation does not include a three-dimensional rendering of the overpass, a cost estimate, or a funding source.
Preliminary schedule
The port’s preliminary schedule for the overpass project is as follows:
- FDOT permitting and Interchange Modification Report (IMR): third quarter of 2027
- Port Canaveral design-build solicitation: fourth quarter of 2027
- Design-build design phase: first and second quarters of 2028
- Construction start: summer 2028
- Construction end: fourth quarter of 2029
- CT-4 construction complete: summer 2030
According to the aquarium’s campaign website, construction of the aquarium is expected to take 24 to 30 months after groundbreaking. Based on those timelines, construction of the aquarium and the port’s overpass would overlap during 2028 and 2029.
Aquarium leaders learned of overpass in June
News 6 reported in August that aquarium leaders were informed in late June of the port’s plans to build an overpass at the intersection near the aquarium site, a project that would cross through the aquarium’s parking lot. Winsten told the station the project team had presented an update to the Port Commission and was confident both construction efforts could move forward together, and that the team was exploring ways to incorporate the overpass into the guest experience.
Orlando Business Journal and Florida Today had previously reported that the project faced a lease hurdle with the port ahead of the December groundbreaking.
Road access was part of the original deal
Port commissioners first approved a development agreement and ground lease terms for the aquarium in September 2021. According to Space Coast Living, that agreement called for a road extension into the aquarium on George King Boulevard to be paid for by the port. Rent under the terms reported at the time was set to start at $250,000 a year with 2.5 percent annual increases, plus additional rent tied to admissions.
The Space Coast Rocket reported in April that the foundation announced the December 2 groundbreaking date along with the completion of the aquarium’s design. The roughly $140 million aquarium will focus on species native to the Indian River Lagoon and surrounding waters, including bull sharks, sea turtles, stingrays and alligators, and will include rehabilitation facilities for sea turtles and manatees. The foundation projects the aquarium will draw more than 500,000 visitors a year.
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