Outdoor Ventures Sues Virginia Beach Over Holiday Lights
Outdoor Ventures seeks $20 million from the city and aquarium foundation, alleging a competing holiday light show is harming its business.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Outdoor Ventures, which runs The Adventure Park and Owl Creek Landing, has sued Virginia Beach and the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation for $20 million. An October amendment added Beach Events and seeks $1 million from it.
Why it matters
The suit centers on a shortened observation tower at Owl Creek Landing and the relocation of the city's holiday lights display to aquarium grounds, which the plaintiff says compete for the same customers. The dispute shows how land use, military visibility concerns and commercial competition intersect on city-owned property in Virginia Beach.
Outdoor Ventures is seeking $20 million from the city and foundation and $1 million from Beach Events, figures the complaint ties to a tower built at one-half its originally planned height. Whether the court will grant any of this relief has not been determined.
The players
Outdoor Ventures
Outdoor Ventures is the Virginia Beach operator of The Adventure Park and Owl Creek Landing, which is the plaintiff in the lawsuit.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation
The foundation is the nonprofit that operates the aquarium grounds where the city's holiday lights display is now located and which denied the alleged breach.
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is the coastal Virginia city that is a defendant in the suit and hosts the holiday lights display.
The details
Owl Creek Landing's observation tower was required to be shorter after the Navy objected to visibility into parts of Naval Air Station Oceana and Dam Neck Annex. The lawsuit alleges the shorter tower opened later than planned and earned less than anticipated, and that the holiday lights competition is hurting the business. The city says its holiday show is proceeding as planned, and the foundation denied breach after receiving written notice in May.
Timeline
2024: Outdoor Ventures announced the 125-foot Nautilus Observation Tower plan.
September 2024: Foundation meeting minutes showed the business was less assured of success.
2025: Owl Creek Landing and the Whorl slide opened.
Earlier in 2026: Outdoor Ventures learned the holiday lights display was moving to the aquarium.
May 2026: Outdoor Ventures gave the foundation written notice of breach.
Market Landscape
The suit reflects the constraint the Navy imposed on Owl Creek Landing's observation tower, which limited its height to protect views of Naval Air Station Oceana and Dam Neck Annex. The competition now centers on whether a city-hosted holiday light show on aquarium grounds can draw the same visitors as privately operated attractions.
Visitors planning holiday outings in Virginia Beach may see two light shows open on Nov. 20 that compete for the same customers. The outcome of the suit could affect whether the aquarium display continues as planned.
The takeaway
Competing attractions on shared public land can produce disputes that take years to resolve, so ticket buyers should watch for changes at both venues. Checking each venue's official schedule before Nov. 20 helps avoid surprises.
What happens next
Both light shows are scheduled to open on Nov. 20, when the competing displays will begin operating.
Further reading
Follow more business coverage in Openings & Closings for Virginia Beach.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WHRO Public Media.
