Sailor Circus Officially Merges with Circus Sarasota

On Tuesday night the Sarasota County School Board made it official, Sailor Circus is merging with Circus Sarasota. To do so, the district had to terminate an agreement between Sailor Circus and the Police Athletic League.

"This is not just the termination of an agreement, but the start of a new agreement," said school district chief operating officer Scott Lempe. "It's one of those things that on the surface made a whole lot of sense, if executed appropriately."

Lempe said this decision benefits all parties involved. "PAL wins because they can focus on at-[risk] kids," he said. "Circus Sarasota wins [because] they get access to the next generation performers and access to the facility."

The students in the Sailor Circus program, Lempe said, also benefit because the new agreement continues the integrity of the program while giving students access to circus professionals at Circus Sarasota.

Speaking on behalf of Sheriff Tom Knight, Maj. Kevin Kenny said this is a move the sheriff's office fully supports. "Sheriff Knight and the PAL board see that Circus Sarasota is a better fit," Kenny said. "[This merger] will keep Sailor Circus alive and thriving in our community."

In 2004 the Sailor Circus was on its last legs. School district funding was sparse and there did not seem to be a future until the PAL said it would run the program.

Now seven years later, Sheriff Knight said it is time PAL to get back to serving at-risk youth.

Maj. Kenny told the board Tuesday night that since PAL took on the Sailor Circus, PAL has lost focus. "PAL has suffered somewhat of an identity crisis," he said.

He added that Sheriff Knight wants PAL to get "back into neighborhoods that need it the most."

“Ultimately it’s about the children of Sarasota County,” said Sheriff Knight in an . “The collaboration of these two dynamic programs under one umbrella offers unlimited opportunities for resource sharing, development and promotion.”

“This was a vision of the board of Circus Sarasota,” said Knight in . “About three months ago Bob Johnson and Ray Pilon asked me if we’d ever consider a merger.”

Johnson is a former state senator, and Pilon is the current statehouse rep. According to Knight, the two said they’d talked to the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, which expressed support for collaboration between the two circuses.

Prior to Oct. 5 PAL will transfer all existing funds held by it for the use and benefit of the Circus to, Circus Sarasota, which totals $113,000. 

Stan Zimmerman contributed to this report.