Known as Florida’s first attraction, Cypress Gardens will be closing on November 17th.

This morning Land South Holdings LLC, the company that owns the park, announced Cypress Gardens would close after this Sunday for major renovation, with a reopening scheduled for March 2009. Plans call for a renewed focus on three areas — the ski show that was the park’s original draw, the botanical gardens that made it famous for generations and the water park that opened a few years ago. The zoo area, which specializes in exotic animals (including the albino wallaby at right,) and the ride area will be permanently closed.