McCarthy to Break Ground on OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale
McCarthy will break ground on March 5, 2015, on the OdySea Aquarium, which will be located adjacent to Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale. The groundbreaking celebration has been organized by OdySea founders Amram Knishinsky, Ph.D., and Martin Pollack and also involves the facility designer Deutsch Architecture Group.
Poised to be one of Arizona’s premiere attractions, the OdySea Aquarium will offer unrivaled marine adventures with a high-tech, high-entertainment, oceanic educational journey like no other in the industry. The 14-acre attraction that spans more than 200,000 square feet, is a three-level facility designed to accommodate up to 15,000 visitors daily. Revolutionary design features will move visitors to each level via an acrylic tunnel while viewing some of the most fascinating animals of rivers and oceans in the world from the bayous and coral reefs to deep abysses of fresh water and salt water. A sampling of the planned exhibits includes Rivers of the World, American Rivers, Amazon Rivers, Shores, the Great Barrier Reef, Penguins, Sharks, Red Panda and “the Bizarre & the Beautiful” featuring Jellyfish, Octopus, large King Crabs and Seahorses. The facility will also include a Lighthouse Café serving a full menu and light snacks, and the OdySea Treasures Gift Shop.
Among some of the unparalleled features will be the SeaTREK experience that will allow guests to descend deep into the “ocean” where they will be surrounded by sea life on all sides. There will also be a state-of-the-art 3D theater and “a surprise visitor’s experience that has never been accomplished in any aquarium in the world,” Knishinsky said.
“This project involves large-scale aquatic displays and will be a great educational resource and entertainment destination once completed,” said Jim Brandt, project director for McCarthy. “We look forward to building the aquarium, which is destined to become a community treasure.”
The OdySea Aquarium is slated to open summer 2016. It will be both a for-profit facility employing more than 250 individuals while its 501c3 non-profit foundation will administer educational programs and services. For more information call OdySea Aquarium LLC at 480-951-2100 or visit www.odyseaaquarium.com
About OdySea in the Desert
OdySea in the Desert is a 35-acre, multi-million-dollar entertainment complex. Butterfly Wonderland, the largest butterfly pavilion in America, was the first phase of this project opening May 2013 followed by the Odysea Mirror Maze. Other upcoming attractions will include the “Arizona Experience,” distinctive retail shops, a “Taste of the World” culinary showcase, and the “Flite Shop,” an indoor skydiving facility.
About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has been building communities across America for more than 150 years, delivering certainty for clients in a diverse range of markets. Throughout all phases of a project, from early integrated design phase services, through construction and after completion, McCarthy builders utilize industry-leading construction techniques and the most sophisticated technology tools to deliver the highest quality, job-site safety and ultimately, the best value. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 9th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2014). The firm has approximately 1,600 salaried employees with offices in St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Portage, Ind.; Kansas City, Kan.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Dallas, Houston; Albuquerque; and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at the website or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.
