THE CARIBBEAN JOURNEY EXPANSION , SET TO OPEN IN MAY 2017 , WILL BRING A TREMEN- DOUS BOOST TO CORPUS CHRISTI ’ S ECONOMY AND CULTURE .
The Texas State Aquarium ’ s Caribbean Journey , set to open in May 2017 , will bring a tremendous boost to Corpus Christi ’ s economy and culture .
Caribbean Journey has been the Aquarium ’ s vision for over a quarter-century , and was being planned by the founders even before the Aquarium first opened in 1990 . In 2012 , the Aquarium ’ s Board of Trustees launched a capital campaign to raise the funds needed to finally make Caribbean Journey a reality . Now , construction on the 71,000-square foot building is in its final phases , and the long-anticipated opening is just around the corner .
When completed , Caribbean Journey will guide Aquarium guests on an epic adventure throughout the East Yucatan region of Mexico , and on into the Caribbean Sea . Guests will trek through exhibits depicting a coastal forest and Mayan Ruins to encounter flamingos , crocodiles , bats , birds , and more . They ’ ll then dive deep into the Caribbean Sea to find themselves among coral reef fish , stingrays , and sharks . A highlight attraction will be the H-E-B Caribbean Shark exhibit , which will lead guests past an ancient shipwreck and through a clear acrylic tunnel , where they ’ ll be surrounded by sandbar and nurse sharks . A 4D Theater with unique special effects will add another layer of fun .
If that all sounds exciting , then you ’ re not alone . The Caribbean Journey is expected to be immensely popular when it opens , attracting guests from far and wide . The Aquarium has historically been a huge draw for Texans , pulling in more than 50 % percent of its guests from the San Antonio , Dallas , Austin and Houston metro areas , but only about 15 percent of guests are from outside the Lone Star State . Caribbean Journey will more than double the indoor exhibit space of the Aquarium , vaulting it from a leading regional aquarium into one of the largest in the nation and a must-see attraction for both locals and tourists from around the nation .
The most obvious benefit of the influx of
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