In the fierce competition for tourism dollars, the John G. Shedd Aquarium has helped keep Chicago a step ahead of many cities by billing itself as the world's largest indoor aquarium. But this fall, the Shedd will lose its title to the new Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, a state-of-the-art attraction that will be nearly twice Shedd's size.



During the past decade, Chicago has engaged in a head-to-head battle with Atlanta on several fronts that affect tourism. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport competes each year with Chicago's O'Hare International for bragging rights as the nation's busiest airport.

In 2003, the Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves in the National League division playoffs--payback for the 1998 series in which the Braves dashed the Cubs' hopes of winning the pennant. And in an economic blow to Atlanta, Chicago last year snagged a coveted telecommunications trade show, called Supercomm, from Atlanta's six-year grip.

Now the competition has turned to fish.

For months, workers at the new Georgia Aquarium have been hauling in more than 100,000 sea creatures, some of them gigantic species that never have been displayed in the United States.

Officials are hoping that the 5 million-gallon aquarium will become a successful anchor for the downtown tourist district and spark an economic boom that will place it far ahead of other cities in the race to reel in visitors.

In recent years, the focus on tourism has been mostly statewide or regional. But as the U.S. tourism creeps back from record lows following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, some cities, including Chicago, are preparing to spend millions more on advertising to lure visitors. Aquariums have become a popular centerpiece, particularly in cities that are trying to build or revitalize tourist areas.

"Definitely, tourism plays a large role in keeping aquariums afloat," said Jane Ballentine, spokeswoman for the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. "It's a good marketing tool to be able to say you have the biggest aquarium or the most gallons of water."

The Atlanta attraction is a gift from billionaire Bernie Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot, which opened its first stores in Atlanta in 1979. Marcus, who spent $200 million to build the aquarium, said he wanted to give something back to the people of Atlanta who helped make him a success. And for a man with a fascination with big fish, a museum or a symphony hall didn't seem to be the right fit.

"I wanted to dedicate something to the customers and the associates who worked at Home Depot and helped to make me what I am," said Marcus, 76. "They come from such a broad demographic area . . . and everyone loves an aquarium, no matter their color, religion or economic status."

Atlanta's aquarium will house two of the world's largest sea animals--whale sharks that will grow to 40 to 50 feet in length, the size of a train boxcar. It will be the first aquarium outside Asia to exhibit whale sharks.

In addition, the aquarium will have two beluga whales to be rescued from an outdoor exhibit at an amusement park in Mexico City, as well as octopuses and a host of exotic fish. The facility has hired celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck as its in-house caterer. About 25 percent of the space has been dedicated to educating students and adults about aquatic life. The aquarium also will serve as a major research and conservation facility.

Marcus said the aquarium will attract more than 2 million visitors the first year and have an estimated $1billion economic impact on the city over five years. He said, however, that he does not see the aquarium as beingin direct competition with the Shedd or other attractions.

"The key is not to compete against Chicago," Marcus said. "We have millions of people coming through Atlanta every day. But people come in, get off the plane, wait three or so hours and get on another plane. We are trying to convince them to come into the city and spend the night. That's where the economic impact is."

For nine of the past 11 years, the Shedd has been the No. 1 paid cultural attraction in Chicago, drawing about 2 million visitors a year, 65 percent of whom came from outside Chicago, according to Ted Beattie, Shedd's president. He said the Atlanta facility will help heighten awareness of aquariums.

"We are not as hung up about being the biggest as we are on the quality of the experience and the variety of animals and programs we offer," he said. "We happen to have a large facility, but that's just a piece of it."

While Shedd's 3 million-gallon tank is 2 million gallons smaller than the Georgia Aquarium's, Beattie said the Oceanarium section, which was enlarged two years ago, will still be the biggest in the world. In addition, he said, the architecture of the building, which opened in 1930, can never be duplicated. Its marble walls, doors and ceilings are inlaid with designs of aquatic creatures.

"The combination of history, architecture and our animal collection will always be one of the best in the world," he said.

While Atlanta has become one of the top convention destinations, state tourism officials said the aquarium would help it also become one of the premier destinations for families. The aquarium will be downtown, in walking distance of several attractions, including Centennial Olympic Park, the new World of Coca-Cola, the CNN Center and Imagine It, Atlanta's children's museum.

"Meetings and conventions are our bread and butter, and we have seen a lot of success," said Jessica Lumsden, spokeswoman for the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The aquarium is ideal for those who come in town for business or pleasure."

But even before it opens, the aquarium has seen controversy. This week, the Atlanta City Council voted to ban panhandlers in tourist areas downtown. Homeless advocates accused Marcus of pushing for the new law, a charge he denies.

Aquariums have been sprouting across the country in recent years as a way to draw visitors to town. Of the 38 accredited aquariums in the U.S., 16 have opened since 1990.

"Aquariums are popular because they fill what people are looking for in a vacation. There has been a trend toward family-oriented vacations and traditional type of vacations," said Cathy Keefe, spokeswoman for the Travel Industry Association of America. "People also want their vacations to have an educational component that is disguised as fun. When you are doing a big downtown revitalization project, it makes sense to have a flagship attraction that you can build around."

In Chattanooga, Tenn., about a two-hour drive from Atlanta on the Georgia border, the Tennessee Aquarium has helped to revive an industrial city that a decade ago was viewed as so polluted that few people considered going there. The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans helped revitalize Canal Street along the Mississippi River. And in Baltimore, the National Aquarium helped renew the Inner Harbor area.

The Georgia Aquarium will open debt-free on Nov. 23, Marcus said, and next year he will turn the operation over to a non-profit group.

The initial financial stability should keep it from the financial problems that befell Ocean Journey in Denver, which recently was sold to the Landry's Restaurant chain, and the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, Minn., which had to be bailed out by the city three years ago.

While Marcus said he believes the Georgia Aquarium will spark a renewed interest in aquatic life, he remains cautiously optimistic about its future.

"We're hoping this will generate interest in aquariums everywhere," he said. "But when you open a store, you never know if the customers will like you. It is still to be determined what will happen after people see it."

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Georgia Aquarium will be biggest fish

This fall, Atlanta will open the largest indoor aquarium in the country, taking the title from Chicago's Shedd Aquarium.

Georgia Aquarium

Open date: Nov. 23, 2005

Gift from: Bernie Marcus, cofounder of The Home Depot, which has its headquarters in Atlanta

Yearly visitors/projected: About 2 million

Construction costs: $200 million

Size: 460,000 square feet

Gallons of water: 5 million

Animals: More than 100,000 of 500 species

Shedd Aquarium

Open date: May 30, 1930

Gift from: John Graves Shedd, president and chairman of the board of Marshall Field & Co.

Yearly visitors/projected: About 2 million

Construction costs: $3.25 million for original aquarium; $45 million for Oceanarium; $45 million for Wild Reef

Size: 422,000 square feet

Gallons of water: 3 million

Animals: 20,000 of 1,500 species

I'm so there!

CynthiasSocks said:

ME TOO !!

Mach said:

You live in ATL?

CynthiasSocks said:

no ... only 3 1/2 hrs away though

wow... thanx for the pics

Mach said:

oh... I'm about an hour away. I sent this to my father- he's a huge scuba diver- and he's said that when it opens that he's taking the family. I love indoor aquariums and cannot wait!!!

Mach said:

Check out the website (nothing much): www.georgiaaquarium.org

I was looking for some concept, blueprint pics. You know this is going to be so amazing!

CynthiasSocks said:

Looks like they will have an underwater ballroom!!!!! You know there's going to be some nice gay functions there!

CynthiasSocks said:

wow ...wow.... WOW

Mach said:

dem peeps alittle to stuffy ... gotta get FUNKY peeps

Mach said:

I said gay functions!