Sarasota Announces a New Circus in Town

At the famous John and Mable Ringling Estate, in Sarasota, Florida, a $4-million donation has provided the seed money for a new circus museum and learning center. A favorite among Florida vacation rental and resort guests, the historic mansion-turned-museum has been one of the area’s main attractions since it was built over forty years ago.

Whether you choose to stay at Longboat Key Club & Resort, or in one of the resort’s many Florida vacation rentals, this attraction is a must-see that always receives rave reviews. An initial $4-million donation from Howard Tibbals – a Longboat Key philanthropist and circus enthusiast – combined with a state match of $4 million, will go toward the first phase of construction.

Now, Florida vacation rental and resort visitors can expect something fresh to return to upon future visits to the area. The plan calls for a total of 50,000 square-feet of new space that will cost up to $32 million, admittedly ambitious according to Tibbals, whose gift will fund the construction of a 20,000 square-foot building next to the current museum.

Officials at the museum hope to open the new building for Florida vacation rental and resort guests, as well as other area visitors, by a 2011 target date. The first floor of the new structure will provide much-needed space for circus artifacts, from 100-plus year old posters to a carved bandwagon transported from England in 1870.

At the new museum, Florida vacation rental and resort guests will also be able to explore a second floor, which will house a research center where people can look up a database of 700,000 digital photos and other historical information. The research center will be one-of-a-kind, similar to only a handful of centers across the country.