Not that I've seen. And I'm not sure where folks are imagining these double or triple-space expansions will be built.dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑Jan 09, 2020Has union station ownership ever mentioned that the aquarium is a phased project?
arch city wrote:Really?!! Okay, what company? What other locations do they manage and operate?
Great thanks for the information. I thought it was LHM.moorlander wrote: ↑Jan 10, 2020Dubai-based zoOceanarium, which specializes in developing and operating aquariums, zoos and wildlife-focused science centers, will operate the 125,000-square-foot aquarium once it’s completed.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bizjou ... n.amp.html
I believe LHM is the owner of the aquarium (along with the rest of Union Station), but they've contracted out operations management to zoOceanarium Group.arch city wrote: ↑Jan 10, 2020Great thanks for the information. I thought it was LHM.moorlander wrote: ↑Jan 10, 2020Dubai-based zoOceanarium, which specializes in developing and operating aquariums, zoos and wildlife-focused science centers, will operate the 125,000-square-foot aquarium once it’s completed.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bizjou ... n.amp.html
It's already a good-looking facility.
Well, now I feel it will consistently improve over time.
3rd or 4th largest in the Midwest sounds about right, although technically I don't know that Newport, KY is the "Midwest". But it's pointless trying to rank them, as you are comparing apples and oranges in a lot of cases. There's a huge difference between the non-profit (or not-for-profit) institutions, and the commercial aquariums like the Union Station Aquarium.arch city wrote: ↑Jan 10, 2020I think this was a great investment. Despite this big, solid and sound investment, I still wish the world-class aquarium would have been built near the St. Louis Zoo campus.
With that said, I did a cursory check and I think St. Louis' aquarium is about the 3rd or 4th largest in the Midwest in terms of square footage, gallons, animals and species.
St. Louis' is 120,000 square feet, 13000 animals, 1-million gallons, 200 species, total exhibits (unknown).
Shedd in Chicago is head and shoulders above any Midwest aquarium. Newport Aquarium in metro Cincinnati is slightly larger than St. Louis'. Detroit has a Sealife, but is exploring building a $150-million aquarium. KC also has a Sealife. Minnesota/Minneapolis has a Sealife. It has fewer animals, but more gallons at 1.2 million. It is only 70,000 square feet. And Cleveland's aquarium is smaller to at 70,000sf.
I've been to Newport, Georgia, Shedd, Moody (Galveston) and two aquarium restaurants. I'm not a big zoo and aquarium person. I usually only go when I'm dragged to one with others.
That said, I think St. Louis' may end up being managed or bought by an entertainment company. I haven't been to it, but in contrast to the others, based on footage/video I've seen, it is a nice facility. When comparing it to Shedd or Georgia it is dwarfed. I don't know of any other aquariums that compare to those.
I think animals/species make an aquarium stand out. For example, Texas State Aquarium (Corpus Christie) has dolphins. In St. Louis, the blue-bleeding blue lobster is awesome, but what else could St. Louis do to set itself apart from the rest?
Yes, that's why I said "technically".arch city wrote: ↑Jan 10, 2020"3rd or 4th largest in the Midwest sounds about right, although technically I don't know that Newport, KY is the "Midwest". "
I've been to the Newport Aquarium. It is literally five minutes across the river from downtown Cincinnati, which is geographically Midwest. While Kentucky is officially a southern state, going to the Newport Aquarium would be like going to downtown East St. Louis from downtown St. Louis using the Eads. Covington, KY, which is where Newport Aquarium is located, is in metro Cincinnati. The historic Roebling Bridge (Cincy's Eads) dumps you off in downtown Covington, KY.
I didn't choose any measurement. Commercial and nonprofit aquariums are simply not planned and designed the same way because the goal is completely different, so comparing them quantitatively by area, volume, or number of displays, animals, etc. is meaningless.arch city wrote: ↑Jan 10, 2020"But it's pointless trying to rank them, as you are comparing apples and oranges in a lot of cases. There's a huge difference between the non-profit (or not-for-profit) institutions, and the commercial aquariums like the Union Station Aquarium."
Let's be clear. That's how you chose to measure the differences between the aquariums. I stuck basically to size metrics. I don't (and didn't) care if they were for-profit/commercial or non-profit. My only concern was overall size, exhibits, gallons, animals/species. While funding sources may have dictated individual facility size and overall metrics, my only concern was the size of each, which is simple but prudent to consider.
LOL, I don't think I've heard anyone use that term in a decade, but "Buzz-killing" is a perfect way to describe this conversation.arch city wrote: ↑Jan 11, 2020You are buzz-killing the fun of this with picayune "scholarly" minutia. Your measurement "additions" may matter on a different compilation list - not mine. But thanks.
People describe Grant's Farm as a mini-zoo because that is what it is. Or most of it is. That doesn't make it comparable to the Saint Louis Zoo. I don't think Grant's Farm was ever run to make a profit, so it's not a good analogy to the aquarium comparison, but...it would be a bit like ranking all zoos by some combination of size in acres, number of large animals, and number of exhibits. In that case, the Saint Louis Zoo would be very far down the list in the US, and not even the best zoo in the metro area.symphonicpoet wrote: ↑Jan 12, 2020^Oh, come on. People compare the zoo and Grant's Farm all the time. I can't tell you how many times I've heard Grant's Farm described as a "mini zoo." And honestly, you could even add Lone Elk and the Wolf Sanctuary to the comparisons. If you want animal attractions they've all got them. Sure, we all know the zoo is the biggest and best, but the others each have something to offer. And they're all pretty dang different, but they all have animals in common, so if you like seeing animals any and all of them might be of interest.
