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The Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States,
at Pemberton Place, is the world's largest aquarium with more
than 8.5-million-US-gallon (32,000 m3) of marine and fresh water
housing more than 120,000 animals of 500 different species. The
aquarium's notable specimens include four young whale sharks,
four beluga whales, eleven Bottlenose dolphins, three Great
hammerhead sharks, and four manta rays. Funded mostly by a
US$250 million donation from Home Depot co-founder Bernard
Marcus, the aquarium was built on a 20-acre (8.1 ha) site north
of Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Marcus credited
his 60th birthday dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1990
among the inspirations behind his desire to build an aquarium in
Atlanta.
In November 2001 Bernie Marcus announced his idea to construct
an aquarium as a present to Atlanta that would encourage both
education and economic growth. Marcus and his wife Billi visited
56 aquariums in 13 countries to research and design a structure,
and finally donated $250 million toward Georgia Aquarium’s
construction. Major corporations including the Coca-Cola Company,
Turner Broadcasting, Home Depot, UPS, AirTran Airways, AT&T,
Georgia-Pacific, Time Warner, SunTrust and Southern Company
contributed an additional $40 million. The corporate donations
allowed the aquarium to open debt free.
Marcus hired Jeff Swanagan, the then CEO of the Florida Aquarium,
as the Georgia Aquarium's first employee in 2002. Swanagan had
been credited with turning around the financially troubled
Florida Aquarium during his tenure as CEO. Swanagan would become
the Georgia Aquarium's founding president and executive director,
and is largely credited with the creation of the aquarium. He
oversaw every aspect in the creation of the aquarium, from the
design of the structure to the procurement of animals for the
exhibits.
Guests observe Navy divers as they dive in a tank at the
AquariumAfter 27 months and with 60 animal habitats, 16,400
square feet (1,520 m2) of ball room space, 2 food service
kitchens, gift shops, a 4-D theater, an on-site restaurant, and
a parking lot, the Georgia Aquarium opened first on November 21,
2005 to annual pass holders and then on November 23, 2005 to the
general public. At $26 per adult, $21.50 for Seniors, and $19.50
for Children, the price of admission to the non-profit aquarium
is among the most expensive in the country. The aquarium has
nevertheless far exceeded visitor expectations, welcoming its 1
millionth guest on March 1, 2006, only ninety-eight days after
opening. The aquarium sold over 290,000 annual passes for its
first year, before sales were halted (to avoid a "private club"
atmosphere, according to Swanagan). The Georgia Aquarium
welcomed its three millionth guest on August 24, 2006, its five
millionth on May 23, 2007, and its ten millionth guest on June
25, 2009. The Aquarium is an affiliate within the Smithsonian
Affiliations program.
Jeff Swanagan remained the president and chief executive of the
Georgia Aquarium until 2008, when he departed to join the
Columbus Zoo. He was succeeded as president by Anthony Godfrey.
Godfrey had originally been hired by Swanagan in 2004 as the
aquarium's chief financial officer. David Kimmel was named
president in May 2010 after Godfrey resigned. Kimmel worked with
Marcus previously when he was the director of project management
for Heery International, a project management company retained
by the aquarium to develop the specifications and contracts for
all firms associated with the creation and to oversee all phases
of construction. |
