Reference no: EM132221183

The Dolphin or the Park?

"Ocean Universe" is a coastal water-themed theme park and resort in Georgia that is wildly successful and needs to expand to serve its market, which is clamoring for more experiences and accommodations. Ocean Universe spotlights the wonders and beauty of the oceans and the animals that live there, and promotes environmentally sound practices that will help preserve the world’s oceans and ocean wildlife. Because the company wants and needs to expand, it has found a large tract of property adjacent to the park just to the north, and the company is considering purchasing this tract to expand its theme rides as well as its hotel accommodations. The company’s real estate arm has researched the property and found one problem – the waterfront location there is the breeding ground of a pod of peak-nosed dolphins. The development would possibly cause a disruption of the dolphins’ breeding, but that isn’t known for sure. This sort of dolphin is a popular marine mammal, but is not at all threatened or endangered; their numbers are strong. Ocean Universe’s in-house counsel has opined that while broad government protections for marine mammals would preclude any knowing interference with the dolphins, under the current political environment, it is highly unlikely that there would be any federal or state objection to the growth of the park into the new area, especially considering all the new jobs and stimulus to the economy that would likely follow the development. Also, the expansion of the theme park will be used to create new rides and shows that will showcase and educate visitors on environmental policy and the need to protect the planet and the Earth’s wildlife. What should Ocean Universe do? What obligation does a business have to environmental problems such as this? One of Ocean Universe’s researchers has said that the company should expand into the new areas, because the researcher believes that as this takes place, someone will find an innovation that will be able to solve the problem. What type of approach is that?