Georgia Aquarium sets world record

The Georgia Aquarium is officially the world’s largest fish tank.

It’s held the record since its opening in 2005, but the head honchos from Guinness World Records in London visited Atlanta for the first time on Sunday to present the attraction’s executives with a certificate naming it the biggest aquarium in the world.

• Scott Ehardt
•  

The Aquarium’s eight million gallons of water house the largest collection of aquatic animals, and a new dolphin exhibit set to open this fall will bring that number up to a whopping 10 million gallons of fresh and salt water under its roof.

The Georgia Aquarium has had a huge economic impact on the state. It’s sparked billions of dollars of economic growth in downtown Atlanta and promoted tourism despite the economic downturn. A study conducted by Georgia State University estimated that the Aquarium would have an impact of between $1 and $1.5 billion on Georgia in its first five years of operation. Attraction officials say they’re certain they have already exceeded that number and with its expansion expect to “blow double that over the next five years.”