The first construction phase of the four-lane road will start in November and will run between West Peachtree and Luckie streets. In the second phase, the boulevard will be extended to Northside Drive. The new road will be named Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard after the late Atlanta mayor.
The state is providing about $7 million for the estimated $13.3-million hard construction cost of the Aquarium. The City of Atlanta is giving $1 million; Central Atlanta Progress, a Downtown business booster organization, is donating another $1 million through its self-taxing program; and landowners provided $4 million worth of rights of way land.
The aquarium is expected to draw about 2.2 million visitors Downtown during its first year, according to Central Atlanta Progress projections. A parking deck to accommodate 1,800 cars is under construction. The nearby World of Coca-Cola Museum is tentatively scheduled to open on 20 acres in first quarter 2007. That project will have a 600-space parking deck.
The aquarium is being built on nine of the 20 acres Coke donated for the project. The tract is between the north end of Centennial Olympic Park and Alexander Street.
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