Yes, I know the photo on the opener of this post isn't Exploration Tower — it's ET's sister building, the Burj Khalifia in Dubai.
But as the Canaveral Port Authority tries to figure out exactly what its identity and business model are, it would appear that building and operating world class attractions for a captive audience of cruise ship passengers isn't a part of it.
Exploration Tower, the Port's homage to Dubai's Burj Al Khalifa, has posted an approximate $400k loss YTD for the first 10 months of the fiscal year, according to the port's Executive Director, John Walsh in this video clip from the Aug. 26th CPA commission meeting.
The news isn't any better on the cargo front; true to last year's results, cargo has failed to live up to their expectations and projections. Now they're moving on to developing hotels, restaurants and possibly an aquarium.
Watch the report from the port in their own words and images here. You'll want to skip to 02:52 in the timecode but make sure to watch Comm. Jerry Allender's comments that appear to indicate how they feel about the public's engagement in their process:
Comments from Port Canaveral ED John Walsh and Finance Director Rodger Rees.
The Burj Al Khalifa, Dubai, UAE