Georgia Aquarium Announces  $110 Million  Expansion
New Addition Will Be Home to Bottlenose Dolphins

ATLANTA (May 6, 2008) – When Bernie Marcus opened the Georgia Aquarium in November 2005,  he promised that it would always play a role in animal conservation, that it would make an important economic impact on downtown Atlanta, and that it would constantly reinvent itself to continue to “WOW” and attract visitors from around the world.  Today, Aquarium founder Marcus and Jim Jacoby, owner of Marineland of Florida and a member of the Georgia Aquarium board, disclosed a key relationship for the Georgia Aquarium with Marineland that ensures those promises continue to be met.

 
“The Georgia Aquarium will break ground this summer on a $110 million dolphin exhibit that will open by the end of 2010,” Marcus announced.  “For four years, my friend Jim Jacoby has encouraged me to partner with him to bring dolphins to Atlanta, because they are the aquatic animal that most people know and love, and still there is a dire need in this area of the country to help dolphins.”

“Even before the Aquarium opened in 2005, Jim made the incredible offer to lend us up to four trained dolphins on a breeding loan from his world-famous Marineland.  With the expansion we are announcing today, we will have an 84,000 square foot space, about the size of two football fields, with a 1.3 million gallon exhibit to accommodate them, and graciously accept Jim’s offer,”  Marcus added. 

“We have a wonderful group of dolphins at our Dolphin Conservation Center, and breeding is active.  A breeding loan, which is common among aquariums and zoos, made perfect sense,”  Jim Jacoby added.  “Our guests have been educated and entertained by these charismatic animals,  some for more than twenty years, and they will be an exciting addition to the family of  fish and mammals that are already at the Georgia Aquarium.”

Located on the west side of the present building near the Luckie Street parking deck entrance, the building will encompass areas that include dolphin encounters, viewing windows and dolphin shows.  The bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that will initially inhabit the Aquarium’s new building will come from Marineland’s Dolphin Conservation Center, founded in 2006 to educate and entertain guests through interactive dolphin encounters. 

“This is the next ‘BIG WOW,’ the attraction that will continue to bring millions of people to downtown Atlanta and make it the most interesting and exciting facility in the world,” Marcus said.  Construction on the dolphin exhibit is expected to begin in August 2008 and will open to the public winter 2010.

To learn more about the Georgia Aquarium, visit the website: www.georgiaaquarium.org