End of line for aquarium?

Whether The Living Planet Aquarium, described by some as a pipe dream, is in Salt Lake's future could be decided next week.

Salt Lake City's Redevelopment Agency executive director Dave Oka and board chairman Eric Jergensen said the Salt Lake City Council, acting as the city's RDA, will discuss the project at its Thursday meeting.

The funding is "significantly lacking," Oka said. "They have less than half of what they're supposed to."

The aquarium was to have raised $1.5 million by the end of last month under the funding schedule set in January 2003 by the RDA.

There are more milestones ahead. By September the aquarium is supposed to have gathered an additional $1.6 million, bringing its total to $3.1 million. Any failure by the aquarium to reach any of its semiannual financial goals, which run through 2007, gives the RDA board a chance to end its contract with the aquarium.

That contract has kept the aquarium going the past two years. The RDA will give land it owns near 400 South and 500 West, where the aquarium is to be built. The land — suddenly some of the most prime real estate in Salt Lake City because of its Gateway location — would be free of charge if enough money to build the aquarium is raised.

Councilman Dale Lambert, who has repeatedly voted to kill the RDA's aquarium deal, said he is skeptical it will gain the needed funds.

"I've always thought (the aquarium) was unrealistic and that we'd be better off making a decision earlier than later," he said. "Unless I can be persuaded that this is a realistic goal that can be accomplished I think we should move in another direction."

Jergensen, however, said there might be support among other RDA board members. At least, he said, the board might wait until Salt Lake County decides whether to put a $30 million to $45 million bond to fund the aquarium on November's ballot.

Despite funds being short, Jergensen said, "I think the members of the board are willing to give the aquarium some leeway, but they will have to have a very solid plan." Councilman Dave Buhler said he would consider a reprieve only if an aquarium deal with the county can be reached.

"If it looks like (county funding) is a real, live possibility I'd be willing to give them more time, but we will just have to see," Buhler said.

A county bond would come in the wake of the County Council agreeing to a $15 million bond for the new Utah Children's Museum in the Gateway.