St. Louis opens aquarium in old Union Station building

Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Aquarium, built as part of a $187 million redevelopment of the city's Union Station, opened on Christmas Day to hundreds of visitors.

The 120,000-square-foot facility opened on the 125th anniversary of Union Station, which, long after the last train stopped there, served as a mall. The new owners of the building broke ground on the aquarium in late 2017.

In addition to saltwater fish displays, the St. Louis Aquarium includes exhibits on aquatic life in the nearby Mississippi and Missouri rivers. In all, there are 44 exhibits, a 250,000-gallon shark tank and 13,000 animals from more than 250 species.

Robert O'Loughlin, chairman and CEO of Lodging Hospitality Management, which owns the facility, said the company decided to build an aquarium because St. Louis was the largest city in the United States without one.

"I can't tell you how many people come to us and tell us how thrilled they are an aquarium's coming to Union Station," he said in press materials released before its opening.

The newly redeveloped Union Station began opening some attractions in the fall, including a 200-foot ferris wheel, a carousel, miniature golf course, restaurants and event space.