A new US$8m (€6.5m, £5.1m) aquarium is coming to Florida in 2015 following the purchase of a 20,000sq m (215,000sq ft) site for the development in St Augustine.

The privately-funded aquarium project will be constructed in two phases. Phase one will consist of an 80,000 gallon outdoor snorkelling pool, along with a zip line crossing ‘Shark Lagoon’ and a high ropes adventure course. Phase two will add 4,000sq m (43,000sq ft) of indoor/outdoor exhibit space housing more than 70 Florida marine species. A full-service restaurant will also be on-site.

As part of the development, a recreated 17th century shipwreck will be featured inside the main indoor exhibit alongside a variety of sharks, rays, eels and reef fish. The indoor section will also include a ray tank allowing guests to touch and feed cownose rays.

Phase one of the project is expected to break ground in early 2015, with a public launch at the start of Q2. The remainder of the public is expected to be ready by Q3 of 2016. Dougherty Sommers Architects are behind the designs, while Baker Klein Engineering is handling civil engineering. Design, fabrication and installation of the aquarium’s exhibits are being handled by St Augustine-based Marine Conservation Partners.