SeaWorld announced plans for its Blue World Project, which encompasses new killer whale environments at its three parks in San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando and the funding of new programs to protect killer whales in the wild.
The company also pledged $10 million in matching funds for killer whale research and conservation projects.
"Our vision for our new killer whale homes and research initiatives is to advance global understanding of these animals, to educate and to inspire conservation efforts to protect killer whales in the wild," said Jim Atchison, CEO and president of SeaWorld Entertainment.
SeaWorld San Diego will be the site of the first new killer whale environment. Construction is slated to start in 2015 with opening in 2018.
The environment will have a maximum depth of 50 feet, a surface area of 1.5 acres and will span 350 feet in length.
"Guests will be able to walk alongside the whales as if they were at the beach, watch them interact at ocean depths or from a birds-eye viewing gallery nearly four stories high," Atchison said.
Atchison said that the new environment will transform how visitors experience killer whales and provide access for zoological professions and scientists to study and care for killer whales.
SeaWorld came under criticism for its treatment of killer whales following the release of the documentary "Blackfish" last year.
Last month Southwest Airlines and SeaWorld mutually agreed not to renew their 25-year-old marketing partnership, which expires at the end of the year. Animal rights activists took some credit for the termination of the agreement, citing a number of petitions at Change.org protesting the use of captive whales for entertainment.
Follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.