SPOKANE, Washington — A new interactive aquarium is moving into the Northtown Mall on Division Street.
Blue Zoo Spokane will be located next to Buffalo Wild Wings and will be about 11,000 square feet, according to their Facebook page.
The aquarium will also have another 5,000 square feet in the basement of the mall for the filtration systems.
"We have pretty much everything you've seen at an aquarium. We have a large shark tank, stingray touch pools, octopus, jellyfish, seahorse, reptiles, birds, amphibians," Wesley Haws said.
There will also be seven different types of sharks and a 600-gallon tank just for the octopus.
Wesley Haws opened another location Idaho Falls, then hired a research company to find a city where an aquarium would thrive and Spokane was a perfect fit.
"People are looking for experiences to be able to put down an iPhone or an iPad and go out with family to interact with each other and the world around you," Wesley explained.
Aquariums are not only an attraction. They serve a greater purpose to the local economy, tourism and above all education, Wesley Haws said.
"Help reduce stress, they help us learn, they help us be inspired and to know about the world around us," Wesley said.
A river runs right through the heart of Spokane and marine life is a big part of our area. It's why, above all, Haws hopes the aquarium inspires people to take care of our home.
"What we do in Spokane, that water ends up in the ocean eventually so it connects these animals to what we're doing in our daily lives to help protect the environment," Haws said.
Construction aquarium is still ongoing, with hopes to open in July 2019. Early bird season passes are now available on the aquarium's website.
