Attractions operator Ripley Entertainment is set to open a CA$130m (£83.7m, US$126.8m, 98.5m euro) aquarium in Toronto, Canada this summer.
When completed, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada will home 15,000 inhabitants in its 12,500sq m (135,000sq ft) facility and is expected to have a projected annual economic impact of more than CA$35m (£22.5m) for the Toronto area.
The traditional layout walk through aquarium will include a 96-metre long (315ft) walkway in its shark tank. The aquarium will also feature a tropical reef tank, Atlantic, Pacific and Great Lakes habitats, as well as Planet Jelly – a dedicated jellyfish gallery with nine tanks in the walls, floor and ceiling. The aquarium will also feature more than 100 interactive exhibits.
Over the course of 20 years, the Aquarium is expected to generate more than $220m (£141.6m) in tax revenues for Canada.
On the development side, there are a number of teams involved with the project, the main two being PCL construction and B+H Architects.
Ripley currently has two aquariums in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and in Myrtle Beach South Carolina. Since 1997 the two aquariums have seen nearly 30 million visitors pass through their doors.
