Finally! Reopening Date Coming for Atlantic City Aquarium

The Atlantic City Aquarium, which has been 'temporarily" closed for almost 4 years, is apparently close to reopening.

Work on the Atlantic City Aquarium Has Dragged on for 4 Years

The Atlantic City Aquarium has been closed since early 2020. First, it was COVID-19  that shut down the aquarium, Then, on May 13, 2020,  the aquarium wrote on Facebook, " We miss you, look forward to seeing you all soon". The renovations had begun.

Later, the aquarium posted on Facebook that it would be " tentatively reopening Fall 2023", but that didn't happen.

One man recently wrote on the aquarium's Facebook page,

"Closed 2020 for supposed renovation. Here we are 2024, still closed. I would assume the AC Aquarium has gone extinct."

Atlantic City Aquarium Was the Centerpiece of Gardner's Basin

Since opening in 1999, the Atlantic City Aquarium had been the primary tourist attraction in Atlantic City's Gardner's Basin.

It was open year-round, seven days a week, and was the home to tropical sharks, moray eels, piranhas, a bearded dragon lizard, and a loggerhead sea turtle named Groman.

The aquarium has 100 marine animals in all. I am told the marine animals are still being kept in the aquarium, cared for by outside contractors.

Area businesses had counted on the traffic the aquarium provided and Atlantic City benefited from having such an appealing non-casino attraction.

What Work Has Been Happening at the Aquarium?

In a statement, Atlantic City spokesman Andrew Kramer said that the aquarium got new roofing, windows, lighting, and flooring, a new deck and ceiling for the top-level lookout, bathroom renovations, and updates to its electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, and a fresh paint job.

What's Taken So Long for the Work to Be Completed?

The city says that due to the pandemic, the normal process for moving such a project forward was slower than originally anticipated.

Once construction began, it became apparent the damage and repairs were greater than expected. That, combined with the pandemic's impact on supply chains, created delays in the renovation schedule.

When Will the Atlantic City Aquarium Reopen?

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small is set to announce the reopening date for the aquarium during his State of the City Address on Friday, Feb 2nd. We can only hope the reopening is sometime soon.