World's Largest Aquarium Set to Open

[callady]

World's Largest Aquarium Set to Open


Monday November 14, 2005 1:46 PM

By DOUG GROSS

Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA (AP) - The whale sharks are kings of the 6-million-gallon tank, their presence palpable even before they emerge from the murky darkness like massive star cruisers in a science fiction film.

But once visitors to the new Georgia Aquarium have seen Ralph and Norton - the only whale sharks on display outside of Asia - they will still have at least 99,998 more fish to go.

When the aquarium opens Nov. 23, it will become the world's largest by virtually all major standards of the industry. It was bankrolled almost exclusively by a $200 million gift from Home Depot Inc. co-founder Bernie Marcus.

``It's going to be the most unique aquarium in the world,'' said Marcus, 76. ``I don't want to say the best. (Status as) the best will come after people view it and decide.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5413613,00.html

I know we probably shouldn't keep fish in sealed tanks but I love aquariums.

[tuvor]

1. "I know we probably shouldn't keep fish in sealed tanks..."

The way we're losing fish, it might be for the better.

Fish Numbers Plummet in Warming Pacific
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x172820

[Fairlyunbalanced]

2. That and it helps to raise awareness

and a new generation of people that just might give a damn. Out of sight, out of mind.

[Coventina]

3. Yes, I look at zoos & aquaria as necessary evils.

Sad, but that's the way it is.

I'd rather have them alive somewhere captive, than totally extinct.

[Brotherjohn]

Agree. I have doubts about cetaceans (dolphins, whales), especially...

... after seeing orcas in the wild. Such a situation restricts their range by orders of magnitude. There is NO way to simulate their natural environment.

But as for smaller animals, I still believe the educational, research, and conservation aspects outweigh the "caging" of some animals (especially since newer zoos do great job of simulating natural environments, and many of these animals are endangered in nature).

Even with primates, especially because most are endangered in nature.

[alarimer]

36. I think that is the primary benefit

Given the state of the oceans, I hope that these facilities can alert people to the dangers. I know that the Monterey Bay Aquarium has menu cards that you can tell to tell you what seafood is safe to eat- those that contain less or no muercury and those that are sustainably fished. These places need to be more than just another entertainment venue. Education needs to be the highest priority.

[buzzard]

27. I keep corals we are losing these at astonishing rates as well.

[callady]

29. Those are beautiful

My brother used to have 8 tanks around the house of various sizes, some quite large.

Disease came through and wiped out the entire population despite his heroic efforts.
He never attempted such an undertaking again, just stuck with one or two small tanks.

[radwriter0555]

35. Thanks goodness it's not a circus where the poor animals are made

to swim with employees and jump through flaming hoops.

I have always refused to pay those nasty places one single penny and have never let my daughter go either... she used to be upset over it, but she totally gets the opposition to the performing sea monkey aspect of Shamu.

[Canuckistanian]

4. How do they feed Whale Sharks?

Don't they eat krill and plankton? Do they have to keep the tank full of these things?

[bleedingheart]

6. i bet they dump tons of sea monkey packets in there...

[barb162]

34. very, very carefully

[bleedingheart]

5. Imagine if that $200 million had built schools instead of one aquarium

at least 10 state of the art schools could have been built with that money...but instead it is used to make a big tourist attraction.

[Brotherjohn]

8. With all due respect, it is a school of sorts. That aquarium will...

... fire the intellect and imagination of millions of children. It will be used as a great "teaching tool" by all of the schools in the area, and beyond.

The guy could just have easily bought an island for himself or a fleet of yachts with what is, face it, his own money. I think you're being a bit hard on someone who's made a good choice on how to spend an outrageous fortune.

[bleedingheart]

10. but is admission to the acquarium free?

I find that when I have traveled to places that I think would "fire" up a young person's imagination and love of history, wildlife..etc.. that most of them are pretty expensive to visit.

There are a lot of folks who work for Home Depot that probably go without healthcare too...but I guess we should be lucky he didn't just buy himself an island.

[Brotherjohn]

11. Admission to aquariums and zoos are almost never free. Should we not...

... have them? (if you think not, then I guess this discussion is over; several posts above, including my own, explain why we think they are valuable).

What about museums? Yes, the Smithsonians on the mall in D.C. are free, and a few others here and there. But those are the exception, not the rule: the "nation's museums" in the nation's capitol. But there's generally an admission for museums, zoos, aquariums and such. I guess we shouldn't have museums, then, either.

Most of these facilities, and I would venture to say the Ga. Aquarium, too, are non-profit. This isn't some money-making scheme.

As for your reference to health insurance at Home Depot, I am not going to veer into a hijacking of this thread to the completely unrelated topic. As to your statement about us being "lucky"... YES, we are lucky that he built this facility rather than bought a fleet of yachts. Perhaps not as lucky as if he gave $200M to fight poverty, or to build schools, or perhaps defeat GWB (though I'm sure the guy's a Republican). But still, the world will be a better place because of it.

[bleedingheart]

12. I am a big fan of museums, zoos and aquariums BUT

I am a much bigger fan of education because you can't raise a generation that can appreciate the museums, zoos and aquariums without well educated kids.

[Brotherjohn]

13. Agreed. And there is not enough money right now (by the gov't, anyway)...

... to build enough state of the art schools to properly educate our children. I think that is a big problem (perhaps the biggest) in our country... in conjunction with the propotion of creationism and other pseudoscience, dumbing down our children (and adults).

That being said, there are many people with millions and billions of dollars who can (and will), frankly, do whatever they want with it. Get on this guy for not providing health care for his employees. Get on the State of Georgia for not adequately funding schools. Get on the people for not seeing that higher taxes to adequately fund education is a worthy investment. But I think you're picking the wrong target for criticizing this guy for making a $200M gift to the state for an aquarium.

Again, I think the net result will be positive. One can argue whether the net positive would be greater if he built schools, or gifted the money to health care for employess, or whatever else. But (my opinion, anyway) I believe the net result will be positive, and this act is doing something to contribute to the greater good.

Oh, and from the facility's web site, the entire second floor is devoted to schools and teachers (field trips, camps, etc.) and there will be a sponsorship program which will allow school districts lacking in funds to send their children for a reduced rate or for free.

[joeunderdog]

14. If co's like Home Depot weren't so RED, we'd have a tax base

to help young students learn about all things big and small.

[MarsThe Cat]

17. a terrific aquarium can be a big part of the educational process.

besides- schools are the responsibility of the PUBLIC sector, not the private. this guy had every right to spend his money how he sees fit.

and since you're knocking his aquarium expenditure, i assume you must have some information about how much he has donated directly to schools/universities during his lifetime, right?

[pitohui]

15. way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

what difference would 10 more or less schools do, some of the states where the most money is spent on the schools like louisiana have the worst test scores, graduation rates, and so on

we need something to fire the imagination of the child and to allow her to see a world beyond the dusty classroom

people don't care & don't learn if they don't have dreams

maybe the dude should have kept his $$$ in his pocket and let the children get their dreams from the teevee -- then all their dreams would be about murder, gambling, and war

sheesh

as far as admission fees, in new orleans, the schools regularly received free tickets to aquarium & zoo for the schoolkids, why on earth wouldn't it be the same in atlanta, they have a hell of a lot more money than we do

there is a place for beauty and awe in the world, believe it or not, without it, our spirits die & we don't care & all the schoolbooks in the world aren't worth a damn

[sandnsea]

16. Imagine if a good thing happened

and everybody said "hooray!"

[Hyernel]

7. This is Georgia. So there's probably a bait shop.

;)

[onehandle]

9. My desperate and cultureless city gets another shiny structure.

Save your money. Atlanta is nothing but a bunch of office buildings, connected by horrible traffic, and endless urban sprawl.

Atlanta is not a pleasure destination. Don't bother coming here unless you're wearing a suit and are on the company dime.

[sandnsea]

18. Then this was desperately needed

All the better that it was done. Who knows, maybe a world class art museum next!!

[Bridget Burke]

19. So maybe Atlanta can use a bit of culture.

And not everybody else who lives there may be as deperate as you...

Get out of the office buildings & the urban sprawl. I'll bet that, even in Atlanta, there are areas in which you can WALK. (Yes, get out of your car for a while.)

There's more to Houston than some can see--can Atlanta be even worse?

[mrhopeforwes]

20. I'm from Atlanta

and this thing is only going to exacerbate the already interminable traffic!

[bleedingheart]

21. Having been to Atlanta it is hard to find people who know a lot about

their city.

My husband was thinking of relocating there so we went to dinner with his colleagues and I took a notepad along. I asked them what could I do with our children while we visited and looked at homes.

Out of 4 professional people sitting there I got three responses.

1. Not much.
2. I dunno.
3. Visit the World of Coca Cola building or CNN.

When I goaded them ...they asked me..."well if we came to your city what would you say.."...and I listed about twenty things to do in Pittsburgh before they told me that they got the point.

I did manage to visit the Atlanta Zoo (wasn't impressed, but it looked like it was rather new and in transition...) My kids thought the rats in the monkey cage was a hoot...but I didn't..

I visited World of Coca Cola...one big coke ad...kids liked the tasting room until they started to get sick...

We visited Stone Mountain (I think that was its name..) very nice park...but not in the city.

My impression is that Atlanta has seen so many new people move in that most don't identify with Atlanta...
There is also a lot of building outside the city to flee it..but then it makes the traffic a nightmare and the surrounding communities are little mini suburbias...but you find that all over the country...

I wish I had met more people who could have helped me find more intersting things about that city...cuz I know they had to have existed.

[onehandle]

31. That's exactly right.

When people ask me what they can do in Atlanta, I'm clueless.

And I've lived here all my life. 40+ years.

We have almost nothing that plenty of other cities have. And those things are lesser versions. Now we have the largest Aquarium. yahoo.

Do we have anything unique?

We have the Carter Center and the Martin Luther King Center, but that's hardly a holiday.

We have a lot of restaurants to feed the many temporary residents and business travelers. Some are very good, but hard to find in our sprawl.

Stone Mountain Park feels artificial. Not a naturalist's paradise. Up until the early eighties, it was often the parade ground for the Klan.

People only move here to make money.

[tenshi816]

33. Valid points, all of them.

I was born and raised in Atlanta, and met my British husband when he worked there for a couple of years. He absolutely loved living in Atlanta, but was in complete agreement with me that while Atlanta is a good place to live, it's not a good place to visit. The city simply doesn't promote itself to tourists very well because the powers that be have chosen to concentrate on business, and thus the best parts of the city remain known largely to residents only. It's a damn shame.

[RebelOne]

30. I couldn't agree more. Luckily, I love northwest of Atlanta

in Woodstock, but it is sprawling up here more and more every year. And the traffic on Hwy. 92 on weekends rivals Atlanta's.

[RubyDuby in GA]

22. As a resident of Georgia, close enough to actually go there, I refuse

I am boycotting this place. It was bankrolled by Mr. Republican, Bernie Marcus, and I refuse to give any of my money (something like $26 entry fee) to them.

I don't care how nice it is - I refuse to step foot in it.

[bleedingheart]

23. there are people here in Pittsburgh who won't visit the

Henry Clay Frick Museum (his old mansion)...because they find the idea of paying money to visit a house built upon the sweat and blood of poorly paid labor galling.

[MGKrebs]

24. Atlanta- where the homeless aren't allowed to beg...

and the fish don't have to!

[soothsayer]

25. I thought the Pacific was the world's largest aquarium. Wait---

what's the largest ocean?

[Demeter]

26. It's Called the Pacific Ocean: Open 24/7---Discretion Advised

Your safety is in your hands.

[KansDem]

28. But what about this "World of Coca-Cola?"

From the article:

The aquarium neighbors Centennial Olympic Park and lies across the street from the CNN Center and the Georgia Dome. In 2007, a new World of Coca-Cola museum is expected to open next door. The city also is a finalist for NASCAR's hall of fame, which would be located in what is now a parking lot near the other attractions.

More like the "World of high-fructose corn syrup," or "How to build a multi-billion dollar empire on making something nobody needs."

[onehandle]

32. NASCAR's hall of fame?

I hadn't heard about that possibility. Take it to Alabama or way out into the red red suburbs.

How embarrassing that would be.