Construction begins on OdySea Aquarium

• Construction has started on the 200%2C000-square-foot%2C indoor OdySea Aquarium
• The aquarium is part of the larger OdySea in the Desert complex%2C which will encompass 35 acres
• The complex will also include an indoor skydiving venue%2C IMAX Theater%2C retail space and other projects

Hammerhead sharks, a martini-shaped aquarium and animatronic sea captains are just some of the wonders visitors can expect at the OdySea Aquarium, opening July 2016 on the Salt River Reservation.

Groundbreaking occurred earlier this month on the three-story, 200,000-square-foot aquarium, ushering in a new wave of construction for the larger OdySea Aquarium complex.

The aquarium will be part of a $175 million entertainment complex that will be built on 35 acres near Scottsdale leased from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

The first phase of OdySea included the Butterfly Wonderland and OdySea Mirror Maze/Laser Maze. The aquarium will be built next door on the northeastern corner of Via de Ventura and Loop 101 and is set to open the three-day weekend of July 2-4, 2016.

"OdySea in the Desert will become I believe the Number 1 man-made destination attraction in the Valley of the Sun," said Amram Knishinsky, founder of OdySea in the Desert.

The entertainment complex will include the aquarium along with an indoor skydiving venue, an international food court, an IMAX theater and other projects that have not been announced, said Blessing McAnlis-Vasquez, Talking Stick Resort marketing manager.

"Look for a lot of development in the next two years," she said.

Knishinsky said the complex will have retail space with workshops where people create glass and candles on site.

"It becomes an experience because the public likes to see how things are actually made," he said.

OdySea will be built around a one-acre center court that will be similar to a town square, complete with an events stage, shade and fountains, he said.

"There are a number of other attractions which will be announced, and opened actually before we open the aquarium because it doesn't take as long to build those attractions," Knishinsky said.

The aquarium will employ more than 250 people, as well as hundreds of volunteers.

It will be unique in that many of the features have never been introduced in the United States, Knishinsky said.

It will combine marine life with the technology found at a Disney theme park, he said.

Knishinsky described some elements people can expect at the aquarium:

-- Acrylic tube walkways to move between levels.

-- A lobby with aquariums shaped like bowls hanging from the ceiling at different heights. Each bowl will weigh thousands of pounds and contain fish of a certain color.

-- Hammerhead sharks, which Knishinsky said are expensive and difficult to obtain. Other examples of marine life include mahi-mahi fish, turtles, octopus, jellyfish and seahorses.

-- A restaurant called Lighthouse Cafe with seating for more than 300 people.

-- A penguin exhibit with stadium-style seating.

-- SeaTrek Experience technology, which allows visitors to descend into the aquarium using a specialized helmet. Visitors can take guided walking tours along the "ocean floor," no diving certification required, according to the OdySea website.

-- Feature films about species not found at the aquarium.

-- A martini-glass aquarium that stands 11 feet high with roughly 1,000 swimming anchovies.

Rachel Sacco, president and chief executive officer of the Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the OdySea Aquarium at the Talking Stick Destination will benefit not only the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, but also Scottsdale and the surrounding area.

"The Talking Stick Destination developments are creating a tremendous pull for visitors to explore our region, and are a great complement to the attractions and amenities throughout Scottsdale," she said in a statement.