Local Couple Funding Marineland Fight Speak Out
'Time Is of the Essence,' Say Barbara and Jon Rubel
The author is a veteran journalist who served as Florida bureau chief for the New York Post before launching The St. Johns Citizen, which first published this story on October 31, 2025. The story is reprinted here with permission.
By SELIM ALGAR
Barbara and Jon Rubel still remember taking their children to Marineland, the oceanfront park south of St. Augustine where generations of Floridians first glimpsed dolphins up close.
“Almost everyone we know says, ‘I went there when I was ten,’ and now they’re seventy-five,” Barbara told The Citizen with a laugh. “It’s such a part of this area’s history.”
As we first reported, the Green Cove Springs couple is trying to make sure that history isn’t lost.
In an exclusive interview, the Rubels said they were approached “at the eleventh hour” earlier this month to help rescue the 87-year-old attraction from being sold to a prominent Texas developer.
They quickly agreed to become financial backers of a preservation plan led by marine-mammal advocate Jack Kassewitz and former Marineland manager Felicia Cook.
“What matters to us is protecting these animals and keeping Marineland’s educational and research mission alive,” Barbara said. “Time is of the essence. If people don’t step up now, it will be gone.”
The Rubels emphasized that their group’s GoFundMe campaign is limited to paying legal fees for the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings—fees they say are climbing fast at about $500 an hour.
The broader bid to acquire the park, its 17 dolphins and some 1,200 other marine animals will require what Jon Rubel called “a serious backer” capable of contributing millions.
They acknowledged their $4 million cash offer, plus $1.5 million in startup funds, falls about $3 million short of the winning auction bid placed by developer Craig Cavileer, but argued that non-financial factors should carry weight.
“Moving these animals isn’t just expensive—it’s emotionally and physically damaging for them,” Barbara said. “Most were born in captivity and wouldn’t survive in the wild. This has to be about more than a balance sheet.”
The couple first heard about the preservation push through their local Rotary Club and were struck by the urgency. “We just felt it was something we couldn’t ignore,” Barbara said. “This isn’t just a tourist stop; it’s a living classroom and a piece of Florida heritage.”
Their stance was formalized in an Oct. 23 letter to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein, objecting to the proposed sale to Texas developer and casino owner Craig Cavileer’s group.
“We are asking you to protect Marineland and these animals by not approving the currently proposed sale,” they wrote.
Kassewitz has argued in court that the Rubel-backed coalition was unfairly excluded from the auction process. Attorneys for the seller, The Dolphin Company, counter that the bid came too late and did not meet court-set conditions.
Judge Silverstein declined this week to finalize the sale, citing the need for additional information. A follow-up hearing is set for Nov. 10.
Opened in 1938, Marineland Dolphin Adventure was once known as “the world’s first oceanarium,” a hybrid of research lab and roadside attraction that drew film crews and vacationers for decades. Its survival has long been uncertain as ownership changed hands and maintenance costs mounted.
The Florida marine park, which opened in 1938, was auctioned as part of the bankruptcy of its Mexico-based owner, which cited financial difficulties at several of its aquatic parks.
Cavileer, a longtime industry figure known for his role in revitalizing Fort Worth’s popular stockyards district and for leading the Silverton Casino in Las Vegas, declined to comment when reached by phone last week.
For the Rubels, both longtime Clay County residents—Barbara a veteran health-care executive, Jon long retired—the fight is as personal as it is civic.
“We’ve been there with our family, with friends, even with our Rotary group,” Barbara said. “It’s a place where you learn, not just watch.”
With less than two weeks before the next court date, the couple hopes more community members will rally. “We need others who care about Florida’s history and these animals to come forward,” Jon said. “There’s still a chance to do the right thing.”