Aquarium

[HOT ROD]

Steve L indicates the late publicity may ignite other funding sources to help make the aquarium a reality.

To me, the aquarium and other items left off MAPS 4 (aviation hub for instance) are transformational and funds capital projects, also the stadium, arena, and improvements to Chesapeake arena. Even though I am not in favor of the stadium in its current plan and not for any more pork for the fairgrounds Its sad to see that the aforementioned is not in this MAPs but we're using capital funds to catch-up as a city with personal services. .....

[OKCRT]

Steve L indicates the late publicity may ignite other funding sources to help make the aquarium a reality.

To me, the aquarium and other items left off MAPS 4 (aviation hub for instance) are transformational and funds capital projects, also the stadium, arena, and improvements to Chesapeake arena. Even though I am not in favor of the stadium in its current plan and not for any more pork for the fairgrounds Its sad to see that the aforementioned is not in this MAPs but we're using capital funds to catch-up as a city with personal services. .....

I think they dropped the ball on the World Class Aquarium. Now they will prob.come with something similar to the Tulsa Aquarium. OKC doesn't seem to strive to have anything that is first class IMO. It's like many of the things done are with potential future upgrades.

Just Say NO!

[chuck5815]

I think they dropped the ball on the World Class Aquarium. Now they will prob.come with something similar to the Tulsa Aquarium. OKC doesn't seem to strive to have anything that is first class IMO. It's like many of the things done are with potential future upgrades.

Just Say NO!

Yep. I’m definitely planning to vote NO early and often.

[Dustin]

Maps has elevated QOL in this city so much. I will continue to vote yes. Aquarium or not.

[Laramie]

Yep. I’m definitely planning to vote NO early and often.

Just curious, please don't take this personal, on a serious note; how do you vote NO often & early?

[Rover]

Yep. I’m definitely planning to vote NO early and often.

m
So, because they didn’t pick you for the starting squad, you are taking your ball and going home?
Anybody who denies what Maps has done for OKC is just in denial. We have gotten great value on great projects and greatly improved our city.

[chuck5815]

m
So, because they didn’t pick you for the starting squad, you are taking your ball and going home?
Anybody who denies what Maps has done for OKC is just in denial. We have gotten great value on great projects and greatly improved our city.

Sure, past MAPS have been successful. Very surprising that a smart guy, like yourself, can’t tell that this MAPS represents a significant departure from the earlier renditions. If the city wants to use MAPS funds to pay for basic city services, they need to be more transparent about it. Might as well make it a permanent tax increase as well.

[Rover]

Sure, past MAPS have been successful. Very surprising that a smart guy, like yourself, can’t tell that this MAPS represents a significant departure from the earlier renditions. If the city wants to use MAPS funds to pay for basic city services, they need to be more transparent about it. Might as well make it a permanent tax increase as well.

The services they want to provide haven’t been addressed as basic needs with facilities and funding to start doing an adequate job. It isn’t so much a deviation but an evolution of Maps. Everything doesn’t have to be a big shiny building. We can be a more responsible city than that and not only think bigger, but broader, too.

[BDP]

I think they dropped the ball on the World Class Aquarium. Now they will prob.come with something similar to the Tulsa Aquarium....

This is where I'm confused. From where does the faith that this aquarium would be a "World Class Aquarium" come?

Maybe there is more information about tank size and special exhibitions / focus that I don't know about? All I can see is that they are proposing a 100,000 square feet attraction. That's not small, but, by comparison, the Tulsa aquarium is 72,000 square feet. That's a little over a third bigger. That's not insignificant, but I find it hard to believe that the difference between the Tulsa aquarium and a world class aquarium is 28,000 square feet of floor space.

More importantly for an aquarium, though, is not the square footage of floor space, but the size of the tanks and what it is that will be living in them. Is any of that information in the proposal? I think the whole idea of bringing the canal to an end at a cool aquarium is a great one, but on what basis does the proposal suggest it would actually be a "World Class Aquarium"? Given the amount of aquariums in the world (even just the country) and the scale of many of them, how is this proposal so bold that it's absence from the MAPS ballot is justification for a blanket NO vote, regardless of the merits of the other projects that are included?

Believe me, I, too, have been underwhelmed by the Tulsa Aquarium, if for nothing else because it was way oversold to me. It was a nice afternoon, for sure, but it unfortunately did not meet the expectations its advocates placed on it. But, really, what it is about this proposal that blows the Tulsa Aquarium away by a factor of, say, 10, because that's at least what it would take to be on par with with the world's best aquariums, aka the "World Class Aquariums" of the world?

All that being said, I would love to see it happen. I am just fascinated by the suggestion that what's been proposed would be a shoo-in to be a top aquarium in the United States (of which there are many), let alone one that would be internationally admired as a "World Class Aquarium". I can't even find any info on what any of the exhibits would be, let alone how big the main tank would be or if there would be a focus of significance to elevate it to that level.

In the broader context of the MAPS vote, I totally understand the uncertainty surrounding the higher marquee items that made the ballot, but its the amount of relative certainty attached to this proposal by its proponents that escapes me, especially the "no aquarium, no MAPS" sentiment.

There's nothing in the public facing proposal that assures it would be anywhere near a "World Class Aquarium", by world aquariums standards that is, just as there is nothing in the proposal for the the stadium that assures it will draw an MLS team.

But, yet, you're so sure that the aquarium would be world class. Based on what? Compared to what currently operating aquarium?

Yes, the proposal does look better than the Tulsa Aquarium but:

1) that's not really even a relevant measure for what a "world class" aquarium is

2) there's really even nothing in the proposal that indicates it would even be better than that aquarium, just that it would have 1/3 more floor space

and

3) there's really not anything in the proposal that indicates what kind of aquarium it would be at all, except its size (100k floor space), its location, and its tie-in to the canal. All of which are cool, but none of which address its ability to be considered a "World Class Aquarium".

I totally get anyone voting against such a MAPS project for its ambiguity. I just have no idea why there is more certainty attached to this concept compared to the other MAPS ideas by some. And I have no idea what places this proposal, on its own merit, on a World Class level of its peers.

[ShadowStrings]

I agree that the renderings made the aquarium look too small to be truly "world class", but without details about what exhibits would be included, it's hard to tell. That's why I raised the issue of "is $150M enough?" upthread. I'm curious if there are details that I haven't seen yet.

[HOT ROD]

I think everyone is stating that the aquarium would be world class because I think it was the zoo itself that said it would be.

Now surely, that doesn't make it world class in itself but I would say that OKC has a world class zoo and with funding I would probably rest assured that they'd develop a world class aquarium as an appendage to their existing operation.

At least this is what I'm hoping, that the funding source does realize and the aquarium is build with an extension of the canal. To me the canal having a destination and the aquarium being it makes it a world class spot so long as it's at least developed like we saw.

[LordGerald]

I think everyone is stating that the aquarium would be world class because I think it was the zoo itself that said it would be.

Now surely, that doesn't make it world class in itself but I would say that OKC has a world class zoo and with funding I would probably rest assured that they'd develop a world class aquarium as an appendage to their existing operation.

At least this is what I'm hoping, that the funding source does realize and the aquarium is build with an extension of the canal. To me the canal having a destination and the aquarium being it makes it a world class spot so long as it's at least developed like we saw.

The term "world class" always makes me cringe. Mayor Cornett used this phrase all the time to describe the (future) OKC Boulevard.

[SEMIweather]

And I think describing our zoo as "world class" kind of takes away the appeal of the aquarium, because how many tourists are really visiting OKC because of our zoo, first and foremost? I'm not sure it would even make the top 5 tourist attractions here. I'd hope the aquarium, if built, would stand out more than the zoo does.

[ShadowStrings]

My hope is that the aquarium would be done well enough that people would come visit OKC JUST because of the aquarium (and of course do other things while they are here). I want an aquarium that is a regional (or even national) destination that would draw people to OKC who otherwise wouldn't have come.

[jedicurt]

And I think describing our zoo as "world class" kind of takes away the appeal of the aquarium, because how many tourists are really visiting OKC because of our zoo, first and foremost? I'm not sure it would even make the top 5 tourist attractions here. I'd hope the aquarium, if built, would stand out more than the zoo does.

our zoo is world class when it comes to breeding programs... and really, should zoo's be more about number of tourists or animal diversity and conservation?

[The Shadow]

I could be wrong, but I believe the OKC Zoo has higher attendance than any paid admission tourist attraction in the entire state.

[OKCRT]

I could be wrong, but I believe the OKC Zoo has higher attendance than any paid admission tourist attraction in the entire state.

I wouldn't doubt that but there aren't many paid admission tourists attractions in this state. A World Class Aquarium would blow the Zoo away in numbers IMO. That's a World Class Aquarium not a Tulsa or little better Aquarium.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Oklahoma City used to have what was considered one of the best zoos in the country. I know times change, but I look back at those cramped spaces for the cats then and wonder how it was ever considered that great. I’m sure it’s that they all did that back then. Today, the zoo seems so much better than its ever been. I’d like to see a great aquarium, but doesn’t look like that will happen.

[BDP]

I think everyone is stating that the aquarium would be world class because I think it was the zoo itself that said it would be.

Now surely, that doesn't make it world class in itself but I would say that OKC has a world class zoo and with funding I would probably rest assured that they'd develop a world class aquarium as an appendage to their existing operation.

At least this is what I'm hoping, that the funding source does realize and the aquarium is build with an extension of the canal. To me the canal having a destination and the aquarium being it makes it a world class spot so long as it's at least developed like we saw.

The Zoo does have a good track record and its secure source of funding is a plus, as it allows them to constantly improve it and operate it well. But I'm not sure if it's regarded as "world class". Here's a small sampling of "top us zoo" lists, none of which include OKC:

https://travel.usnews.com/gallery/th...zoos-in-the-us (warning: it's a slide show, but ads aren't too annoying)

https://www.timeout.com/usa/things-t...zoos-in-the-us

https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gal...rica/39946275/

It does appear on this ranker list, the only one I could find it on with a very quick search:

https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best...ates/worldchap

But, I agree it's a good zoo, even if not always regarded as a top zoo in the US (one thing about zoos is that there are A LOT of BAD ones). If it's not a world class zoo, I think it does have a couple of world class attractions. And I think if the Zoo designed and operated an aquarium, it would be a quality aquarium. I also love the idea of it not only being a canal stop, but having the canal integrated with it as the renderings show. It would definitely make the trip through the lower bricktown parking lot much more worth it. And it would definitely elevate the bricktown / downtown tourism experience as a whole. I think, from an economic standpoint, that would likely be its greatest contribution. That is, it wouldn't even have to be a top 30 or so, "world class", aquarium to have a significant economic impact. Tourism usually benefits from multiple attractions being clustered and integrated together.

I just personally don't see anything that indicates it would be a world class aquarium at this point. It sounds a little small for that, but, again, what the attractions are and how they are presented would matter more than the size and I don't think there's any information about that at this point. I think for "world class" status, it would need something unique or special in the very crowded aquarium field. The canal access certainly qualifies, but not sure if that's enough to make it a top aquarium on its own.

I've probably belabored this at this point. Really, all I'm saying is that I understand not voting for MAPS for various reason (I most likely will vote for it), I just don't understand voting against MAPS altogether because this specific idea was left off, given that the information we have about it is as problematic as many of the proposals that did make it.

[gopokes88]

We would build nothing anything remotely close to “world class”

https://www.rwsentosa.com/en/attractions/sea-aquarium

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Life_Park

That’s world class. That’s over 100k animals across 1,000 different species. Whole branding of “world class” is silly.

[Laramie]

OKC Zoo Says It Broke New Attendance Records For 2021:

https://www.news9.com/story/61d86c52...cords-for-2021

[shawnw]

Why is this in the aquarium thread?

[Laramie]

Why is this in the aquarium thread?

Why not... there are no pure threads. It's Zoo related, just think when we get an Aquarium, our Zoo and Aquarium combined attendance will be awesome.

Truly feel we will eventually get an Aquarium (MAPS 5); believe that admissions' revenue, MAPS funding and/or bonds could pay off such a large venue.

[unfundedrick]

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=40269