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The clock is ticking for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center.
Next Saturday the aquarium will officially unveil its $25 million renovation and expansion, which adds 110,000 gallons of aquarium space and dozens of new exhibits.
Along with the seals, rays, sharks, otters, turtles and piscine Chesapeake Bay natives already on display, the new Restless Planet exhibits will showcase four habitats that offer a peek at Virginia's past.
Among the attractions are a coastal Sahara desert habitat to include scorpions, cobras and hedgehogs, showing visitors what Virginia might have been like during the Silurian period, when an ancient sea evaporated, leaving behind a mineral-rich desert.
In addition, a 40-foot tunnel will lead visitors through the heart of a Red Sea aquarium, and a Malaysian peat swamp habitat will showcase intriguing characters such as snakehead fish and the rare Tomistoma crocodile.
But the biggest stars may be the Komodo dragons in the Flores Island exhibit.
The aquarium, at 717 General Booth Blvd. in Virginia Beach, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. For information, call (757) 385-3474 or visit www.virginiaaquarium.com.
For details on the new exhibit, see Tuesday's Daily Break in The Virginian-Pilot or check back here on HamptonRoads.com.
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Also don't forget the residual benefits also
Alot of tourists love to visit the aquarium when they are in town. These tourists also pay for the hotels, meals, cab rides, and gift shop while they are here.
It Amazes Me
When people like "Santa" crawl out of the woodwork and make uninformed remarks. He obviously is totally clueless as to how the aquarium is funded and what a world-class venue it is.
Publish the source of funding (25 million) for this money pit.
Publish the entire source of funding (25 million) for this money pit. This place has never paid for itself from day one. The public has always subsidized this place.
A Little Knowledge...
goes a long way. The funding for the expansion (the first major one since it was opened over two decades ago) was split about evenly between public funding and private (foundation) funding. The site has always been profitable and the city has put very little money into the structure (outside of most of the salaries) over the years. The foundation raised millions for not only this major expansion but over the years has provided funding for displays, exhibits, vehicles, boats, etc. Attendance has increased substantially even during the construction/renovation phases. The city gets back more than it puts into the facility. Check it out. Also check out some of the other great things it does like the stranding team that is internationally recognized and runs completely on volunteer staffing and private donations and grants. It is a jewel for the city but if you don't like it don't go just don't condemn it based on opinion.
you'll be wow'd
when you see the new exhibits and all of the upgrades made to the aquariums!! Make sure to visit both buildings and the nature trail. Take a boat ride if you want too. Visit their website for details and check out the live cams!! http://virginiaaquarium.com/
forgot!
You might want to take a movie in while there too!
We're broke - who's paying for this?
In case the folks over at the Oceanfront "resort area" tourist attraction don't pay attention to current events, we over taxed Beach taxpayers are broke. Our local, regional, state, and federal governments are running up massive debt and facing huge "budget shortfalls. Folks who are supposed to pay the taxes are either losing their jobs or thay have already lost them. Homes are worth less than the banks are owed due to bad loans and due to a horrible economy. Hyper inflation is looming on the horizon because the foolish Fededral Reserve Bank is printing worth-less money with nothing to back it. And the Democratic Party Congress has been hell bent passing massive new energy tax bills and a massively expensive government take over of our medical industy. Tax hikes are coming at us from every direction. So, Nemo fiddles while Rome burns - hey - let's borrow and spend $25M on something no one really needs. Wa-hoo! "Let them eat cake." Wake up City Council and Resort Advisory Commission - we can't afford your extravagant spending habits anymore.
"There You Go Again"
Having been a RAC Commissioner since 2004, I can tell you there has never been a RAC vote on the Aquarium expansion during that time. The only time I had to vote on an Aquarium issue I was the lone "No" vote on the RAC, and will continue to vote "No" on Aquarium measures until there's a house cleaning in administration there.
That said, by his own admission Reid Greenmun has opposed each and every Resort Area CIP project except the seawall. Even when the economy was rolling, Reid knee-jerkingly attacked any Resort Area proposals. Therefore, it's disingenous at best for Greenmun to hide behind the recession as cause to attack the expansion.
I would usually agree...
but these renovations have been in the works for years. Actually, I think they were SUPPOSED to be complete about 2 years ago...
Even if it is tax dollars I gladly pay them for this
In case you are complete unaware, the Aquarium is a place very close to the hearts of many locals not just in Virginia Beach but across the state. This on top of the fact that it has been LONG overdue for a face lift. The Aquarium is something that actually DOES generate revenue and is a valuable attraction to the city of Virginia Beach. I personally have been going to the Aquarium my entire life of 26 years and am very happy to see it get another expansion. I cannot wait to use my membership and go with my daughter so she can learn and create memories there as I have. So take your bitterness and misguided anger in a more appropriate direction.