Aquarium hopes to build in Sandy

County leaders shot down the bond in November 2006. Aquarium leaders were going to take a second shot at the bond in time for the November 2007 election, but troubles with aquarium management began boiling in early 2007. Ten of the aquarium's 12 board members resigned amid a police-launched investigation of a former employee accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the nonprofit organization.

In April, the board was revamped and decided to no longer pursue the bond or the Salt Lake spot. Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson was vocally unsupportive of the project, and the Salt Lake County Council was not going to approve a bond amid rumors of bad aquarium management.

Sandy, however, maintained its support. And that interest — particularly from Dolan — has paid off for both the city and aquarium.

The city has only given the project a one-time grant of $30,000 in 2006 to relocate the temporary exhibit from The Gateway in Salt Lake City to the Sandy spot. And already, in a year and a half since opening there, the aquarium has achieved huge success.

Guest numbers nearly doubled. That first year, 220,000 came through the door, 26,000 memberships were purchased and a family of four spent an average of $30. Some 7 percent to 8 percent of guests were out-of-state tourists — and the aquarium does zero out-of-state marketing. The board just approved a $2.5 million 2008 budget. More employees have also been hired to account for the growth.

"The feasibility here has been settled. No questions about it," said Andersen, trying to quash rumors that an aquarium in the desert would never be successful. "We've had phenomenal growth."

Brad Carroll, board chairman, said the board will have to vote on pursuing a Sandy location. Earlier in the year, they were hoping to find any Salt Lake County spot, but the numbers at Sandy have been so large that "within the board, there is a consensus that Sandy will be the right home for the aquarium."

"By doubling the size of even the preview exhibit, we predict that we could reach half a million visitors," he added. "The location is the big variable. And the location is Sandy."

Once the board votes on pursuing a Sandy location, Carroll hopes Sandy will then pledge its support by passing a resolution.

"We hope that Sandy city will take a serious position in helping us to identify land and funding of some sort," he said. "We hope there are funding mechanisms that are a combination of both private and public sector."

Carroll said individuals and corporations who donate want to see "who jumps into the pool first" before giving money.

"It's my hope that once Sandy makes that commitment, that the pool opens, that they will donate," he said.

Dolan said he will not move forward without the City Council's 100 percent approval. The council is helping to look for land. They have suggested looking at the 136 acres surrounding the Real site.