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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Salt Lake County residents will not vote in November on a $34.5 million initiative to build the Living Planet Aquarium downtown.
TRAX expansion, recreational projects and open-space proposals were approved previously for the ballot, and on Tuesday the County Council decided to omit the aquarium to ward off "voter fatigue."
"I have ballot fatigue just from putting things on the ballot," Councilman Michael Jensen said.
But some council members still voiced support for the project, and the council decided to start negotiations with Salt Lake City to find a way to allow aquarium officials to extend the lease on the land the Living Planet wants for its future home.
Salt Lake City's redevelopment agency owns that land and has been leasing it to the aquarium for the past several years for a nominal amount.
If the aquarium does not begin construction by June 30, 2008, the RDA can take back the property and use it for a different project, said Dave Oka, RDA director.
Several council members said they do not want that to happen.
"We need to make this work," Councilman Mark Crockett said.
"I think this could be an amazing thing for this community," Councilwoman Jenny Wilson said. "Now is not the right time."
Council members said they might be able to provide some lease money for the project.
David Wolf, vice chairman of the Living Planet's board of directors, was upset the proposal will not be on the ballot, but took heart from the fact that the county did not kill the project.
"Not only will we press on, but we will continue to thrive," Wolf said.
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Information from: Deseret Morning News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
