Friday, January 10, 2014, 11 a.m., at the New York Aquarium

Several public officials and community leaders expected to attend

Event will emphasize the WCS New York Aquarium’s contribution to the economy, education and conservation in Coney Island, Brooklyn, and throughout New York City

New York Aquarium divers will be in attendance

Media: Please arrive by 10:30 a.m.

Brooklyn, N.Y. – January 8, 2014 – The Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium will celebrate the groundbreaking of Ocean Wonders: Sharks!, a new 57,000-square-foot facility, on Friday, January 10 at 11 a.m.

Elected officials scheduled to attend: Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams; City Council Member Mark Treyger; Former City Council Member Domenic M. Recchia, Jr.; Council Member Vincent Gentile; Council Member Mathieu Eugene; Council Member Robert Cornegy; Council Member Alan Maisel; and other officials.

The event will highlight the New York Aquarium’s impact on the economy, education and conservation in Coney Island, Brooklyn, and the City of New York.

The Ocean Wonders: Sharks! project was delayed due to Hurricane Sandy. It is set to open in 2016. It will feature more than 100 species of marine animals including sharks, rays, sea turtles, thousands of schooling fish and more. The immersive and interactive exhibits will bring visitors close to the animals, highlight rich local seascapes where sharks thrive and showcase WCS shark conservation work.

Who: Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams; City Council Member Mark Treyger; Former City Council Member Domenic M. Recchia, Jr.; Council Member Vincent Gentile; Council Member Mathieu Eugene; Council Member Robert Cornegy; Council Member Alan Maisel; and other officials; Director of Operations for the Alliance for Coney Island Johanna Zaki; Principal of the Rachel Carson High School for Coastal Studies Ed Wilensky; Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Ocean Initiative Sarah Chasis; WCS Chair of the Board Ward W. Woods; WCS President and CEO Dr. Cristián Samper; WCS Executive Vice President of Zoos and Aquarium and Director of the Bronx Zoo Jim Breheny; Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli; WCS Vice President and Director of the New York Aquarium Jon Forrest Dohlin; Vice President of Planning and Design/Chief Architect Sue Chin; and the New York Aquarium divers.

What: Groundbreaking ceremony for the New York Aquarium’s Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit

When: Friday, Jan. 10, 2014, 11 a.m.

Where: New York Aquarium, Surf Avenue and West 8 Street, 11214

Special Note to Media: Please arrive by 10:30 a.m. B-roll will be provided.

CONTACT:
Mary Dixon – 347-840-1242; mdixon@wcs.org
Barbara Russo – 718-265-3428; 917-494-5493 brusso@wcs.org
Max Pulsinelli – 571-218-7601; mpulsinelli@wcs.org
Steve Fairchild – 718 -220-5189; sfairchild@wcs.org
Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium is open every day of the year. Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Fall/winter/spring hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily. Admission is $9.95 per person; children under 3 years of age are admitted free. Fridays after 4 p.m. in the summer and after 3 p.m. in the fall, admission is by pay-what-you-wish donation. The aquarium is located on Surf Avenue at West 8th Street in Coney Island. For directions, information on public events and programs, and other aquarium information, call 718-265-FISH or visit our web site at http://www.nyaquarium.com. Now is the perfect time to visit and show support for the WCS New York Aquarium, a beloved part of Brooklyn and all of the City of New York. Due to Hurricane Sandy we are partially opened. Check our website for more information. www.nyaquarium.com.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. VISION: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: www.wcs.org;facebook.com/TheWCS; youtube.com/user/WCSMedia; follow: @theWCS.

Special Note to the Media: If you would like to guide your readers or viewers to a Web link where they can make donations in support of helping save wildlife and wild places, please direct them to wcs.org.