Attendance is up at Sandy aquarium

SANDY — It looks like it pays to be located some 700 miles from the ocean. While reduced foot traffic seems to be the norm these days at most businesses, The Living Planet Aquarium is an exception.

The number of daily visitors has nearly doubled recently, which has created the need to hire several additional staff. Since the launch of the new "Journey to South America" exhibit on Feb. 28, The Living Planet is seeing record-breaking attendance numbers — an increase of 88 percent compared to the same 10-day period in 2008.

This is reflected in an average daily attendance of 1,400 people; almost double last year's attendance.

Utah's only aquarium, The Living Planet, 10600 S. and 700 East, brings animals to people who might not have the chance to see them or their water-based ecosystems in a natural setting.

In 2004, The Living Planet Aquarium began as a 10,000 square-foot preview exhibit located at the north end of The Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake City. Within two years, it quickly outgrew the space and moved into the current 43,000 square-foot space in Sandy.

Annual attendance has increased from 150,000 in 2004 to nearly 250,000 today. With the addition of the major new exhibit, aquarium officials anticipate attendance to continue to grow.

Visit www.thelivingplanet.com or call 801-355-FISH (3474) for more information.