SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO.COM) The Butterfly House and Aquarium in Sioux Falls plans to move downtown and greatly expand.
"Right now we are in a beautiful park, in Sertoma Park, but we are easily forgotten by locals and easily missed by people who are visiting Sioux Falls," says CEO Audrey Willard.
Willard says they are actively seeking a location downtown, possibly in the railyard development area, to build a new complex which will maintain the popular butterfly house, but include dramatically more space for aquariums.
" About four times the size we are now. Right now, we are 12,000 square feet. We want to go up to 40,000,"
And not only will you still be able to walk among the butterflies, you will be able to swim among sharks and sea turtles in a large interactive pool, says Willard.
"Where you are scuba diving or snorkeling with sharks and stingrays," but Willard hastens to explain that the sharks will be friendly ones. No Great Whites.
What really sparked the vision into reality was the state's desire to purchase the current building at Sertoma Park for use by the Outdoor Campus. So it's a win-win situation, says Willard.
She says the project will be done in phases, funded by the sale of the old building and through fundraising. The first of multiple phases is estimated at $8 million.
