What happens next

The county says Butterfly World is on much firmer financial footing now and should pay something closer to what other private ventures in the county park system pay.

The lease for airboat rides, boat rentals, tours and other concessions at Everglades Holiday Park brings in about $950,000 to the county each year. The CB Smith Park lease — which covers the driving ranges, miniature golf course, batting cages and other concessions — brings in about $71,000 a year.

West said the $29.95 adult admission and roughly 250,000 visitors a year show Butterfly World can afford to pay more to the county.

Vanden Berge said West is wrong on both counts: Last year’s attendance was about 132,000 — including reduced-rate school field trips — and Butterfly World relies heavily on deeply discounted admissions for much of the year. There are a number of local residents who visit Butterfly World several times a week by buying a $60 annual pass.

Butterfly World, unlike the attractions at the other parks, has never been required to open its books to the county.

The company would prefer putting the money it does make into the quality of its exhibits and ensuring its employees are properly trained and compensated, Vanden Berge said. Butterfly World improvements, including a parking lot that is also used by other park patrons, have exceeded $10 million over the years, Vanden Berge said.

If an agreement can’t be reached, the attraction’s buildings and fixed assets would be taken over by the county, while Butterfly World would own the butterflies, equipment and inventory, West said. The county would look for a replacement.

“We have preliminarily explored several options, including other non-profits, universities and for-profits that would be interested in managing a similar operation, like Butterfly World,” West said.

lbarszewski@sunsntinel .com, 954-356-4556 or Twitter @lbarszewski