New aquarium taking shape in Draper as opening date nears
Construction • Facility will feature shark tank, South America exhibit, Utah display and more.
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The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium soon will be a bigger fish in a bigger pond.
On Friday, the aquarium's founder and CEO, Brent Andersen, led the news media on a tour of the facility's new 136,000-square-foot home now under construction at 12033 Lone Peak Parkway in Draper.
The aquarium, set to open late next month, will feature a two-story "Journey to South America" exhibit, a slot canyon with species unique to Utah and a 300,000-gallon shark tank along with scores of other displays.
Funding for the $20 million facility, nearly three times larger than the former aquarium in Sandy, is coming with help from steady growth in the number of visitors, donations, grants and a $13 million bond from Draper.