The roadside scenery along U.S. Interstate 15 through Draper, Utah, about 20 miles south of Salt Lake City, is not unlike that in other metropolitan areas of the West—filled with signs for fast food restaurants and motels. But the owner and builder of the new Living Planet Aquarium, slated to open in December, are hoping the new facility west of the interstate among the strip malls and low-profile office parks will stand out like a fish out of water.
"I'm from here, but I left to study marine biology. I'm just fascinated by life in the ocean and always thought it would be great to have an aquarium here in Utah," says Living Planet CEO and founder Brent Andersen. Beginning in 1998 with a few small exhibits at a local junior high school, Andersen's vision and the aquarium have gradually grown, moving to larger and larger locations, leading to the current incarnation.