By AUDREY WOOD
An oasis in the desert is what the The Living Planet aquarium could be to the state of Utah.
Lehi city officials hope to bring an oasis to their city with this 100,000-square-foot aquarium.
The aquarium could potentially be built in one of three locations in Utah: Lehi, in Utah County, the Utah State Fairgrounds and the Gateway District in west Salt Lake City.
Steve Schulkens, executive vice president of The Living Planet Corp., said they're looking for a site that is suited to both tourists and locals.
'We are looking for the site that is most attractive to Utahns and its 15 million visitors a year,' Schulkens said.
Schulkens said representatives of the corporation will announce which site the aquarium will be built on by late summer or early fall.
After the site has been chosen, construction of the aquarium is planned to begin in 1999, with an expected opening date in May 2002.
The Living Planet is still in its infancy. For this reason, public and city officials hesitate to say whether the aquarium will still come to fruition.
Financing the estimated $40 million project is also causing city officials and the public to question whether the aquarium will be built.
Schulkens said that the aquarium will be funded in a public/private partnership. Approximately $25 million in public bonds will be issued for public purchase. The remaining $15 million will be funded from private contributions.
Ken Greenwood, mayor of Lehi City, said as a non-profit corporation, The Living Planet has been given non-profit status. This means that a city or county can act as conduit for issuing public bonds, if local officials feel that the project will be an asset to their community.
'We see the Living Planet as an educational asset for students, families and tourists,' Greenwood said.
The aquarium would house more than 8,000 specimens of aquatic life, reptiles, birds and plants representing over 300 various species. An IMAX theatre and a one-acre botanical garden will also be part of the aquarium.
The idea for the aquarium was conceived by Brent Andersen, president of The Living Planet Corp.
Andersen, a Utah native and designer of large-scale aquariums, said he dreams of returning to Utah and bringing his love of the ocean with him.
Andersen teamed up with Schulkens, and together they hope to create an oasis in the desert.
Some Lehi City officials want the aquarium in the community for a similar reason.
'This is an opportunity for a dry old desert to have a part of the ocean,' said Lehi City Councilman Robert Fox.