Plans for a US$130m (€113.3m, £99.4m) aquarium in Sarasota, Florida, US have received a boost following news that the Sarasota County Commission has unanimously approved an overall agreement for the project.

The Mote Science Education Aquarium will more than double in size under the plans, covering 110,000sq ft (10,000sq m). Mote Marine Laboratory will begin a due diligence process at the site at Nathan Benderson Park.

If Mote is satisfied after the due diligence period, a two-year short-term lease with the county will commence at the site, which is currently county-owned.

"This is definitely a memorable day for Sarasota County," Sarasota County Commission vice chair Mike Moran said.

Massachusetts-based architecture firm CambridgeSeven have designed the aquarium, which is a multi-level facility with aquatic displays across 3.8 million litres of water, interactive teaching labs, onsite diving programmes and scientific demonstrations.

Last year, it was announced the aquarium was seeking funding for construction.

"The rebirth of Mote Aquarium on the mainland will not only help us grow our informal science education and outreach programs and develop a more ocean-literate society; equally important, it will lead to the next step in the evolution of our City Island campus into an enhanced International Marine Science, Technology and Innovation Park," Dr Michael Crosby, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s president and CEO said at that time.

"This spectacular new facility and campus will double the number of visitors whose lives are enriched by marine science each year, and providing no-cost opportunities for all schools to utilise specialised teaching labs to ensure that every child has the opportunity for hands-on marine science and technology experiences."