WEST MICHIGAN | General Developments

[DetroitMan]

West Michigan aquarium could drive billions into economy, draw visitors nationally, study finds

That’s according to a recently completed feasibility study conducted by Canopy Strategic Partners in coordination with Grand Rapids-based John Ball Zoo, Kent County and the city of Muskegon.

The study sought to determine whether a large-scale aquarium would be economically viable in West Michigan, and whether it should be located in the city of Muskegon or somewhere in Kent County. While the new study from Canopy Strategic Partners remains unreleased, John Ball CEO Peter D’Arienzo discussed some of the higher-level findings in an interview with Crain’s Grand Rapids Business. The partners plan to release the full report publicly in a matter of weeks, he said.

“A good takeaway is the aquarium is absolutely viable, meaning the operating model and market study says it will bring enough people to the state of Michigan that it’s a viable product. We just have to figure out the exact location,” D’Arienzo said. “The model (in the study) is showing more than half the attendance of the aquarium would be coming from outside the state of Michigan, and the reason why that’s so important is that is what drives net economic impact. We’re talking in the billions for economic impact in a 10-year period.”

Partners have yet to select a site for the aquarium, as planning discussions are ongoing and “still at the 50,000-foot level,” said Kent County Administrator Al Vanderberg. If the project ends up coming to fruition in Kent County or Grand Rapids, it would be another large-scale cultural asset that makes the area a destination and serves as an economic driver, Vanderberg said.

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/ne...y-study-finds/