The Alabama Aquarium organization is angling to bring an education and research facility to the state. One possibility could result in Auburn University reeling in the education destination.
By William White
O-A News
February 21, 2008
A fish tale it’s not.
The prospect of bringing the 6 million gallon Alabama Aquarium to Auburn University is part of a vision that sets a comprehensive public facility for aquatic and environmental education on a 100-acre site at the E.W. Shell Fisheries Center on North College Street.
Alabama Congressman Mike Rogers was introduced to the idea of having The Alabama Aquarium in Auburn and presented a copy of a related proposal by District 2 Lee County Commissioner Johnny Lawrence Wednesday.
“There is a group called The Alabama Aquarium, and they want to build a world-class aquarium in Alabama,” Lawrence said. “Right now they are looking at Auburn University and its fisheries program.”
The county commissioner said the group wants to build an aquarium with education as its primary focus.
“Not just for the children and parents that come there, but this could become the training center for aquariums all over the country and the world for that matter.
“They are preparing this (proposal) to go to the (AU) president,” Lawrence told Rogers. “We want to make you aware that this proposal is on the table.”
Pointing out the locations of a new aquarium, Auburn University and the Celebrate Alabama project in Opelika, Lawrence said, “You have AU here, Celebrate Alabama project here and then add an aquarium here, then Auburn, Opelika and Lee County become a place for people to come and stay for the weekend and boost tourism for the area.
Rogers asked who served on the group’s board and finished with, “It’s a great idea.”
The internal proposal, which suggests AU as a potential site, hasn’t gone to the university’s president for consideration of committing 100 acres of university land at the E.W. Shell Fisheries Center for the site.
In a telephone interview, the executive director for the organization said the non-profit The Alabama Aquarium was formed in 2002, and has a seven-member board made up of an attorney, educators, a judge and a city councilman. Locally, Dr. John Jensen of Auburn serves on the board.
While the aquarium’s future waters may be muddy now, The Alabama Aquarium’s vision is clear.
“Jensen came to me and asked me if we wanted to look into Auburn as a possible site,” said Dr. R Will Vanoy, executive director for The Alabama Aquarium. “Just looking at the tie-in of what we have planned for The Alabama Aquarium and just some of the remarkable potential in partnering with Auburn University is intriguing and something we want to pursue.
“We are looking at other areas,” Vanoy said.
He said he hopes the white paper, or proposal, will be presented to AU’s president in the next few weeks.
“I am hopeful. I am intrigued by Auburn,” Vanoy said. “I am very interested in pursuing that location.
“I think it would be a wonderful, wonderful place for us, but we are looking at some other areas as well and very soon will send out requests for proposals to various cities throughout the state of Alabama.”
Asked about the vision, Vanoy said the concept is Alabama’s waters all the way to the Gulf of Mexico — rivers, streams, lakes and ponds.
“The concept of this aquarium came many, many years ago and the purpose behind it was Alabama has the most natural resources of water among any state in the United States with more than 77,000 miles of navigable waters in our state.
“Alabama seems like the no-brainer place to discuss natural resources,” he said.
“The goal for The Alabama Aquarium is that of an educational facility foremost,” Vanoy said. “A tie-in with Auburn University, a partnership with them, really strengthens the education concept of the aquarium.”
Vanoy said, “The exciting thing for us and for Auburn University really should be how this project affects all of the departments,” The proposal suggests that the aquarium would benefit the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures by allowing AU to develop new teaching, research and outreach programs in aquatic sciences and possibly establish a Center for Advanced Studies in Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture as well as business, architecture, building science, education, engineering, vet medicine, forestry and wildlife sciences, and others like all of the arts.
“There is a huge impact the university can have on us, and we can have on the university,” Vanoy said.
He said the impact of the two of us partnering together can have on this state and nation are enormous.
“The more I talk about it the more excited I get,” the executive director said.
The proposal suggests there is a strong local interest in the aquarium and a willingness by Lee County and the city of Auburn to fund a $30,000 to $50,000 market survey to assess the feasibility of the project.
The Alabama Aquarium is expected to be an $120 million dollar investment that includes the main aquarium, an education center and an amphitheater.
By the Numbers:
The Georgia Aquarium:
- 3.6 million visitors the first year
- 50,000 students in education programs
- largest by gallons of water (8 million gallons)
- world’s largest by number of animals
- a non-profit organization run by a board of directors
- a $250+ million gift to Atlanta
The Tennessee Aquarium:
- a million visitors a year
- 100,000 students in education programs
- opened in 1992 as the world’s largest freshwater aquarium
- in 1999, 20,000 of the visitors were international
- research arm in the Tenn. Aquarium Research Institute
The Dauphin Island Sea Lab (Mobile):
- Mobile’s fourth most-well attended tourist attraction in 2003, hosting 77,475 visitors
- 16 of the 22 member universities sent undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. candidates
- Summer programs attracted K-12 academic classes, teacher workshops and summer programs for middle and high school students.
- includes The Equestarium, an education facility highlighting the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, Mobile Bay, the Barrier Islands and Northern Gulf of Mexico.
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