SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium Celebrates Construction Milestone, Fills 120-Gallon Ocean Tank

SEA LIFE Michigan, the 35,000-square-foot aquarium set to open in Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in early 2015, announced today that it has reached a major construction milestone: the filling of the attraction’s 120,000-gallon ocean tank with water. SEA LIFE Michigan General Manager Hayley Townsend made the announcement.

“The filling of the ocean tank is a key landmark in our construction process, and brings us another step closer to welcoming our more than 5,000 awe-inspiring creatures this winter,” said Townsend. “Our artists have worked tirelessly to create an exciting themed environment in the tank, including rock and coral formations, and a sculpture of a mythical creature’s head. All of this comes together to create a dazzling experience for our visitors that is unique to our location.”

To celebrate the touchstone, SEA LIFE Michigan hosted a brief ceremony on Friday, Oct. 24 at 10 a.m. featuring SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium Kid Reporter Nina Groll and other local children, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the construction site to demonstrate progress made thus far.

SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium will house more than 250 species of amazing creatures, including sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, sea horses, a giant Pacific octopus, and much more. Guests will have the one-of-a-kind opportunity to get nose-to-nose with the creatures in the aquarium’s unique 180-degree ocean tunnel and enjoy interactive touch pools. They will also be able to visit the attraction’s highly themed educational exhibits that focus on conservation, inspiring guests to take an active role in protecting the world’s oceans and sea creatures.

Advance tickets will be on sale on the SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium website beginning in November. Check http://www.visitsealife.com/michigan/ for more updates.

About SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium

SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium is a 35,000-square-foot aquarium slated to open in Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Spring 2015. As the 7th SEA LIFE location in the United States, and the 42nd in the world, SEA LIFE Michigan will feature engaging, educational and one-of-a-kind experiences that bring guests nose-to-nose with more than 5,000 amazing creatures, including sharks, stingrays, jellyfish, sea horses and much, much more. SEA LIFE provides a glimpse of the diversity of marine life while also playing an active role in animal and environmental conservation. Visitors will see strong evidence of SEA LIFE’s Breed, Rescue and Protect activities around the world, including new projects developed locally. For more information, visitwww.visitsealife.com/Michigan.

About Merlin Entertainments

MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS plc is the leading name in location-based, family entertainment. Europe’s Number 1 and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin now operates 105 attractions, 11 hotels/3 holiday villages in 23 countries and across 4 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its almost 60 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 25,000 employees.

Among Merlin’s attractions are - SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, The London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers Resort, Warwick Castle, THORPE PARK Resort, Blackpool Tower, Heide Park Resort, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, Sydney Tower Eye and SKYWALK. All brands which are distinctive, challenging and innovative – and which have great potential for growth in the future. Visitwww.merlinentertainments.biz for more information.