Giant aquarium planned for Great Lakes Crossing Mall

[masterblaster]

http://www.freep.com/article/2014031...Lakes-Crossing
-A British company is planning to build a massive aquarium at an Auburn Hills shopping mall to lure paying visitors with sharks, starfish, seahorses and other saltwater attractions.

-The 35,000-square-foot Sea Life Michigan aquarium would be built at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, inside the mall’s former GameWorks location.

-The company said in a news release that it plans to show more than 30 displays of marine life in Auburn Hills, including various sharks. The centerpiece would be a tropical ocean tank with a walk-through underwater tunnel. The tanks would also include freshwater marine life from the Great Lakes region.

-Steve Berlow, the mall’s general manager, said he anticipates the aquarium drawing many school trips and families from as far as neighboring states and Canada.

THIS IS GREAT NEWS BUT I HOPE THIS AQUARIUM DOESN'T NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE BELLE ISLE AQUARIUM REVITALIZATION EFFORTS

[EastsideAl]

As I remember, a giant aquarium was one of the proposals that was floated years ago as a replacement for Ford Auditorium. This was around the time that a similar one was built in Camden, NJ, and I guess they thought that it could help make Detroit even more like that lovely burg.

I too hope it doesn't have any negative impact on the great work those folks are doing over on Belle Isle to restore our criminally-closed historic aquarium.

[rb336]

it cracks me up that they call it a "giant" aquarium. modest-sized regional aquarium is far more accurate.

[Hermod]

it cracks me up that they call it a "giant" aquarium. modest-sized regional aquarium is far more accurate.

They are paying for it themselves and not asking the taxpayers to foot the bill. They can build whatever size they want. There is a nice little aquarium in Outdoor World at GLC as well.

[Honky Tonk]

it cracks me up that they call it a "giant" aquarium. modest-sized regional aquarium is far more accurate.

They wouldn't get much of a draw with:

"Modest-Sized Regional Aquarium Planned For Great Lakes Crossing"

[mikeg19]

it cracks me up that they call it a "giant" aquarium. modest-sized regional aquarium is far more accurate.

Considering the only aquarium we do have has about 500 gallons of water and a few Asian Carp swimming in them, I'd say that a new 35,000ft aquarium is quite large.

[DetroitPlanner]

Considering the only aquarium we do have has about 500 gallons of water and a few Asian Carp swimming in them, I'd say that a new 35,000ft aquarium is quite large.

How many Sq ft is the current aquarium building? My guess is that these two will be somewhat same in size. The Great Lakes Mall one will be more gimicky, but the Belle Isle one has tradition going for it. The current space that gameworks is in has multiple levels, I am assuming that when converted this will not work for holding water on the upper levels as the loads are quite different than eatery patrons.

[rb336]

Considering the only aquarium we do have has about 500 gallons of water and a few Asian Carp swimming in them, I'd say that a new 35,000ft aquarium is quite large.

Yes, it will be almost three times the size of the Belle Isle Aquarium, but saying it is giant is like calling a pebble a boulder because it is three times as big as another pebble.

Monterey Bay Aquarium is 10x the size. And that is about half the size of Shedd, Georgia and National

[Honky Tonk]

Considering the only aquarium we do have has about 500 gallons of water and a few Asian Carp swimming in them, I'd say that a new 35,000ft aquarium is quite large.

Well, If you add in a congested, contrived, mall with screaming kids, and compare that to a quiet island where you can peacefully walk to several museums, look @ the water, the freighters, etc., etc., I'll take Belle Isle any day of the week.

[mikeg19]

Well, If you add in a congested, contrived, mall with screaming kids, and compare that to a quiet island where you can peacefully walk to several museums, look @ the water, the freighters, etc., etc., I'll take Belle Isle any day of the week.

Honky Tonk, I certainly hear ya in that respect. I haven't been to Belle Isle Aquarium since I was little, but my main interest is saltwater reef/tropical fish. I believe that the GLC aquarium will mostly center around that. Does Belle Isle have much in the way of a live saltwater reef right now?

[mikeg19]

As a saltwater aquarium enthusiast, I'm really happy to see this announcement. I don't think it will take away from the Belle Isle aquarium, as they are both offering similar yet different things it seems. Plus from the looks of this companies other aquarium setups in the US, they charge about $20 to walk through it, where as Belle Isle is free to all [[minus the once a year $11 fee). Either way, I'm excited and anticipating it's opening.

[poobert]

So it's really just to lure shoppers and as a place to dump the kids.

Most national aquariums are in nice public environments.

I'm not even saying it has to be in the city. What about on the waterfront downriver? At a Metro Park?

Seriously, in a mall? In the middle of nowhere.

Glad we still have the BI aquarium as an alternative.

Why does everything here have to be lame and stupid? This whole region is like it was built on stuff your buddy's mom thinks is cool.

[401don]

So it's really just to lure shoppers and as a place to dump the kids.

Most national aquariums are in nice public environments.

I'm not even saying it has to be in the city. What about on the waterfront downriver? At a Metro Park?

Seriously, in a mall? In the middle of nowhere.

Glad we still have the BI aquarium as an alternative.

Why does everything here have to be lame and stupid? This whole region is like it was built on stuff your buddy's mom thinks is cool.

Actually, this is just copying what's existed in lots of malls for yrs. and 35,000 sq. ft is hardly gigantic by aquarium standards. You can dump the kids there - as long as you're back in 30 minutes or less.

[Hermod]

Seriously, in a mall? In the middle of nowhere.

Ever tried to find a parking place there on a busy day? That mall is a great magnet.

[Bham1982]

This "middle of nowhere" sure seems like a "somewhere" whenever I'm in the vicinity.

10 times the traffic and 20 times the retail compared to anywhere in Detroit, all in the middle of the region's business and growth hub, and McMansions going up like gangbusters. I'm sure the retailers are happy to be surrounded by tons of new retail, 300k, 400k homes being built for growing families, and functional services.

[Scottathew]

Seriously, in a mall? In the middle of nowhere.

Glad we still have the BI aquarium as an alternative.

I live in Rochester Hills and this is our mall of choice. It's huge, has a very wide variety of shops, a giant food court, a free play place for the kids, a pretty good movie theatre, and soon a giant aquarium.

I hope it doesn't affect the BI aquarium either. My wife is a special education teacher and she took her class to the BI aquarium and she said it was one of the few places where her students were not only welcomed with open arms, but given special attention and love.

[EastsideAl]

I don't think I've ever been to Auburn Hills in my life, except to go to a Pistons game.

[Bham1982]

I don't think I've ever been to Auburn Hills in my life, except to go to a Pistons game.

You live in Metro Detroit, and have never gone Up North or on I-75 through Oakland County?

[Gistok]

You live in Metro Detroit, and have never gone Up North or on I-75 through Oakland County?

Isn't that like taking I-94 to Chicago and automatically assuming you've visited Ann Arbor??

[EastsideAl]

You live in Metro Detroit, and have never gone Up North or on I-75 through Oakland County?

I have relatives in Pontiac, and some close friends in and around Birmingham. Again, other than the Pistons, I have hardly ever gone further north in that direction.

In fact, other than Grosse Pointe, Hamtramck, and an occasional foray to Dearborn or Windsor, I really don't really have reason to leave the city very often.

Gratiot-7 Mile, Harper-Chalmers, and Houston-Kelly are all the shopping that Al requires.

More like Jefferson Ave., downtown, midtown, Hamtramck, and Kercheval in the Pointes these days. But, alas, I am just old enough to remember all of those east side shopping areas, and more [[Van Dyke-Gratiot, Van Dyke-Harper, Warren-Connor, Jeff-Chalmers, Mack-Chalmers, Chene-Ferry, etc.)

[Hermod]

More like Jefferson Ave., downtown, midtown, Hamtramck, and Kercheval in the Pointes these days. But, alas, I am just old enough to remember all of those east side shopping areas, and more [[Van Dyke-Gratiot, Van Dyke-Harper, Warren-Connor, Jeff-Chalmers, Mack-Chalmers, Chene-Ferry, etc.)

I was an "eastsider" growing up. Going downtown was an "excursion" and most of our shopping was doe in the areas I mentioned.

[poobert]

Contrary to the popular belief of the exburbers, Great Lakes Crossing is not the center of the universe. I have never been to a Pistons game, and I have never been to Auburn Hills. Of course that makes me and other eastsiders the deserving subjects of derision, because how could anyone survive outside of that paradise? Poor benighted souls must live off hot cheetos at the liquor store. Where does one dine if not at the Rainforest Cafe? Oh la la!

300k houses? That's a foreclosure in the ghetto in Boston. Not impressive!

Metro Detroit's fall from being the forth largest and thus equally important metro in the country is its own fault. We traded a world class city for the most banal, milquetoast suburban existence imaginable.

I'd bet dollars to donuts that in 20 years GLC is going to be the next Eastland, Northland, you name one of the dozen trash malls we've paved farmland for, and the aquarium will be shuttered or a ValueCity furniture. But enjoy it while it lasts, I guess.

[Hermod]

I don't think I've ever been to Auburn Hills in my life, except to go to a Pistons game.

Gratiot-7 Mile, Harper-Chalmers, and Houston-Kelly are all the shopping that Al requires.

[Hypestyles]

Isn't the Toby Keith restaurant in the old GameWorks area? Hmm..

[compn]

Isn't the Toby Keith restaurant in the old GameWorks area? Hmm..

i dont think so. gameworks area has been empty since it closed?

jeepers is still there , near the foodcourt for dropping off kids.