aquarium

The Onondaga County Legislature voted 9-8 to authorize $1.7 million to purchase from COR Development the property which will house the Onondaga County aquarium.

In his State of the County Address, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon spoke about everything from the arrival of Micron to the health care worker crisis.

Now that Onondaga County lawmakers have agreed to move ahead with an $85 million aquarium project, the work begins to create the facility.

After a contentious meeting, Onondaga County lawmakers narrowly approved County Executive Ryan McMahon’s plan to build an $85 million aquarium in Syracuse’s Inner Harbor.

County Executive Ryan McMahon has been publicly pushing for the $85 million project since last fall, but hasn’t been able to move ahead amidst strong political opposition. Getting the votes for the project may come down to serious deal-making.

The Onondaga County Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to look at releasing money from a contingency fund, which would get the ball rolling on the controversial aquarium project.

The Onondaga County Legislature holds its monthly meeting Tuesday, with no sight of a controversial plan to build an aquarium in Syracuse’s Inner Harbor on the agenda. But the project's biggest booster is still optimistic.

Democrats in the Onondaga County Legislature have come up with a plan they call “Kids First,” which would earmark $85 million for social services instead of bringing an aquarium to Syracuse’s Inner Harbor.

Onondaga County officials are working to drum up excitement about a proposal to build an aquarium. But at least one county legislator is asking officials to slow down.