Commemorating the 67th Anniversary of the Opening of Marineland August 28, 1954. by Phil Wahba

Entry Sign to Marineland, 1969 (used with permission by keanespics.com)

One of the points along the bluffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula is one of the most scenic places on the entire Southern California coastline. Before Terranea was a popular destination, there was a beloved aquatic theme park called Marineland, a 102-acre site. Marineland was developed before the city of Rancho Palos Verdes was incorporated, and the city had to rezone the property before the Terranea project could be approved, according to local legend, Councilman Ken Dyda, who is the last original member of the first RPV city council.

Marineland of the Pacific opened in 1954, one year before Disneyland. It was designed by William Pereira, and it was created as the world’s largest oceanarium. Originally, Marineland was created for educational purposes. It contained educational and research facilities in addition to some unique entertainment structures. One of the popular main attractions was the Baja Reef project, a swim-through aquarium you would put on a snorkel and swim with fish and sharks in a reef-like aquarium. It also boasted of a 320-foot sky tower. Other extremely popular attractions included 2 killer whales named Orky and Corky, and a pilot whale named Bubbles.

Marineland’s educational function eventually became dwarfed by a bigger necessity to entertain. After a transfer in ownership to the Hollywood Turf Club (owners of Hollywood Park), and again to 20th Century Fox and Taft Broadcasting, it was renamed Hanna-Barbera’s Marineland, who remodeled it to bring tourists back to visit after a decline in attendance. Hanna-Barbera’s many characters such as Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Jabberjaw, the cast of the Flintstones and Scooby Doo, and more.

***View from Sky Tower at Marineland, 1969 (used with permission by keanespics.com)***

In early 1986, the owner, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (HBJ), well known as a publishing company, and who owned the entire SeaWorld ocean park family was in the process of expanding SeaWorld San Diego. HBJ was in the market for obtaining captive killer whales, having been denied the permits to capture more killer whales for their aquatic shows. HBJ approached the Marineland owners, a Hong Kong company, with an offer to purchase Orky and Corky, the main attractions at Marineland. Marineland was financially struggling, so instead of selling Orky and Corky outright, they offered to sell the entire property to HBJ in 1987. HBJ agreed to purchase the park, but was really only interested in Orky and Corky. They said their intention was to renovate the park and keep it open with Orky and Corky. They found that it would cost more money to renovate than they originally had estimated. Some of this logistically had to do with land movement, and the fact that the water pools were gradually developing hairline cracks, which made it difficult to keep water in the pools. HBJ decided it made more financial sense to shut the park down. They moved Orky and Corky to SeaWorld after all (Orky, the male killer whale, died 2 years later in 1988. Corky, the female, still lives at SeaWorld San Diego, and is believed to be about 45 years old), and closed the Marineland park down, surprising locals and city officials.

HBJ then sold the property to an Arizona developer, James G. Monaghan, for $24.5 Million. The purchase of the park was completed in late 1986. Monaghan had no plans for reopening Marineland. Instead, he wanted to build a huge resort, with a hotel, restaurants, and conference center. When they started to demolish the Marineland site, they took out the aquatic tanks, leaving the Catalina Room, the Sky Tower, and the restaurants. The Sky Tower was torn down in 1995, due to FAA flight safety concerns. (The Catalina Room remained open until 2004, for special events.)

After proposing several plans to the city of RPV, Monaghan settled for a smaller hotel project than he wanted, including fewer casitas and a 9-hole golf course rather than the traditional 18 hole course he proposed. However, after all that time from negotiations with the city, Monaghan ended up in financial straits. The recession in the 1990s took a toll on Monaghan; and he and his development firm were forced into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

York Capital Group, owned by Rolling Hills Estates resident, Jim York, eventually purchased the property at a government bankruptcy auction in 1994. York made his development plans public in 1996. The original plans he wanted were an 18-hole golf course on both sides of PV Drive (as well as toward Pt. Vicente Lighthouse), a resort style hotel, restaurants, and many free standing villas. In 1999, York brought in Lowe Enterprises, based in Brentwood, as the project’s developer, to improve the plans and facilitate the approval of the plans with the city and other agencies.

The RPV City Council approved the development in 2002, with the California Coastal Commission signing off in June, 2003. The city council approved just over 500 hotel rooms and accommodations at the resort including casitas and villas, a conference center, restaurants, and a 9-hole golf course.

The approved plans indicated that all old structures from Marineland be demolished. On March 7, 2007, the construction of Terranea commenced. What is now nationally well known as Terranea officially opened to the public on June 12, 2009.

According to Ken Dyda, Terranea is an excellent asset to the city and proud of what was created. Terranea was a successful collaboration between the city and the community. Although it had a difficult history, Terranea is a popular destination for everyone, including locals here in the South Bay.

Philip Wahba is a Senior at the University of Oregon. He is a graduate of Palos Verdes High School. Growing up on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, he was always fascinated with the local history. Coming home has given him a new perspective and interest in the South Bay, past and present. His interests include local real estate and architecture. In his free time, he enjoys watching and cheering for the Los Angeles sports teams, especially the Dodgers.

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