$100 Million, 600,000 Gallon Aquarium Coming to Times Square?

[Rey C.]

Complete with sharks, rays, penguins and otters. Sounds very cool.

New York's Times Square may be getting a new tenant: a seven-story aquarium.

Jerry Shefsky, a Toronto-based developer, said on Wednesday that he has signed a preliminary agreement with the landlord of an office tower on the western edge of Times Square to go forward with the $100 million project. He would install tanks featuring sharks, rays, penguins, otters, and other animals in the bottom floors of the 40-story building, known as 11 Times Square, hoping to attract some of the 35 million people who pass through Manhattan's major crossroads every year.

Mr. Shefsky, 76 years old, has built aquariums and shopping centers around the world. He cautioned in an interview that the lease agreement for 11 Times Square isn't yet final. But he said he may start building out the space as early as this April with the hope of opening the aquarium in September 2011.
The Times Square project would likely have fewer fish than some of the high-profile aquariums built in recent years. Mr. Shefsky says he currently expects his tanks to contain about 600,000 gallons of water. Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium, which opened in 2005, has more than eight million gallons of water.

In snowy Midtown on Wednesday, there seemed to be some demand for another tourist attraction in the area. "Would I really like to go to an aquarium? No, I have one in Long Beach," said Helene Mayer, a 44-year-old occupational therapist from Los Angeles who had brought her 9-year-old son to the M&M World store in Times Square. But, she said, "now we're looking for another indoor activity to do," and an aquarium "would offer kids a great opportunity in a fun area."

Mr. Shefsky said he has lined up financial backers to help pay for the aquarium's installation, which will cost more than $100 million. He declined to name those backers, and he said he wasn't ready to release a rendering of the aquarium. Mr. Shefsky discussed his plans after an inquiry from a reporter.

Deal May Bring Aquarium to Times Square

 

[Ace Bandage]

Will the sharks have frickin' laser beams attached to their frickin' heads?

 

[Rey C.]

They'll be in a frickin' $100 million tank, so they frickin' better! :1orglaugh

 

[jod0565]

Good. Glad to see the recession is gone in NYC.

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

Can you say terrorist attack?

 

[jod0565]

Shark Attack!

 

[domshooter]

Can you say terrorist attack?

terrorist attack!

no but seriously, i can see some drunk bar goer, or a cracked out bum etc etc etc breaking it within the first week. i know the glass will be thick, but them sons a bitches can be cwafty

 

[~~whimsy~~]

Sharks in New York? Please! Come up with something a bit more original than that...

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

terrorist attack!

Congratulations; I think that makes you qualify as the smartest person on FreeOnes. :hatsoff:

You're like the world's tallest midget, my friend. Be proud.

 

[feller469]

zoo and aquarium prices are high to begin with, imagine how much he is gonna want to charge for one on Times Square.

 

[Lust]

Sharks in New York? Please! Come up with something a bit more original than that...

how bout ill-tempered mutated sea bass?

 

[HELLRAISER]

Since he refuses to name the financial backers for this project, I hope it's not the taxpayers of N.Y. that he's refusing to name unless they don't mind footing the bill for this

 

[StanScratch]

Will these tanks be open so that, in theory, a person who "had an accident" might "sleep with the fishes"?
If so, I've a few "close friends" I would like to "pay a visit to the aquarium".

 

[J_Mags]

As long as it's privately funded, I think it sounds cool.

 

[PornKhaos]

I might take a trip there with a bag full of stones.

 

[Will E Worm]

That's just what New York needed.

 

[johnnySweet50]

hmm and the point is..

 

[HE1FiNEARTiST]

i heard they are gonna have a blue whale in that frickin' thing

 

[domshooter]

Congratulations; I think that makes you qualify as the smartest person on FreeOnes. :hatsoff:

You're like the world's tallest midget, my friend. Be proud.

my trophy look like?
or do i just get a cookie?

 

[tiger1977]

Will we be allowed to feed them? I have a few people in mind I'd like to throw in the tank with a couple gallons of blood.