06

Underwater Fantasy

Last year, MGM Macau hosted the hugely successful Butterfly Pavilion in its Grand Praca, and this year it is continuing to amaze the public with yet another spectacular, nature-inspired display.
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Last year, MGM Macau hosted the hugely successful Butterfly Pavilion in its Grand Praca, and this year it is continuing to amaze the public with yet another spectacular, nature-inspired display.

 

“Discover the Wonders of MGM Aurora” transports visitors into a magnificent underwater realm featuring a breathtaking cylindrical “Water-sky Aquarium” and fantastic decorative elements.   

Five meters in diameter and 8.3 meters in height, the custom made aquarium holds 160 cubic meters (160,000 liters) of water and is home to around 2000 tropical fish, and even a few sharks.

It comprises five massive panels each weighing five tonnes, allowing 360 degrees of seamless, panoramic viewing.

The display is also equipped with LED lights that have the ability to change colour, producing a range of moods and dramatic aurora-like effects as day moves into night.

While the overall concept was a year in the planning, incredibly, the entire display was built and constructed in just three months.

“The experts told us it couldn’t be done this fast”, says Adam Titus, Director of Planning & Projects Management of MGM Macau.  “But we searched the globe for a company to produce it. The panels are custom made, we had to build a special cart to move them and a special crane to lift them.  And we have been working 24 hours to install things”.

Adding to the feeling of being underwater is a vast array of colourful decorations all throughout the Grande Praca. 

Six deep-red coral columns, each 8.5 meters tall, create the feel of a coral palace, offering a beautiful underwater realm for guests to explore.  

Synthetic glass kelp hangings, each 15 to 21 meters long descend gracefully from the ceiling, while 4,000 chrome mock-ups of schooling fish and Fresnel lens chandeliers that look like hundreds of bubbles, immerse guests in this surreal world.

“All these elements give a sense of movement and motion, and animated light brings it to life at night,” explains Stephen Stefanou, renowned designer of Venue Arts in the United States, who was also involved with last year’s butterfly display.  

The aquarium includes Blacktip Reef Sharks from the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia, and schools of fish including Red Emperor Snappers, Golden Trevallies and Roundface Batfish. The schooling fish are all from Hainan province, China. 

The sharks and the schooling fish are fed regularly on a daily basis at 11am and 5pm, providing visitors with a unique glimpse of life in the wild. 

The exhibition runs from May onwards, and is open 24 hours a day. Admission is free.

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