But they have one to two years to change their minds.

"My inclination right now is not to vote for a bond," Councilman David Wilde said. "I'm certainly willing to listen to what they have to say."

The Living Planet Aquarium is in the process of buying land from Salt Lake City near Pioneer Park for the proposed water attraction. Aquarium officials hope to persuade the county to ask voters in November 2005 or 2006 to increase their property taxes to raise $30 million to $40 million for the structure.

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson said Thursday he didn't think the county would place the bond on the ballot. And five of nine County Council members contacted by The Salt Lake Tribune expressed hesitancy, especially because city officials oppose the aquarium project because they doubt the aquarium can raise the funds.

"If the city ends up being sort of hostile, that's a bad thing for the program," County Councilman Randy Horiuchi said. "The aquarium people have a real uphill climb here."

Aquarium advocates agree they need to do more groundwork. "There are a lot of questions to be answered," said Arthur Benjamin, a member of the board of directors. "I really hope for the kids of Salt Lake and the families of the county that everybody gives us an opportunity to move forward in a way that benefits everyone."

County Councilman Marv Hendrickson said he wants to see more support from private donors before he would consider a bond election. Aquarium officials say they have raised $6.5 million toward the $46 million project.

County Councilman Joe Hatch said other taxpayer-funded projects are higher priorities, including the Salt Palace expansion and The Leonardo at Library Square. Plus, the county recently bonded for the Children's Museum of Utah and the city bonded for five projects last year.

"If Salt Lake City is weak on it, why waste our time with it?" Hatch wondered.

But County Councilman Jim Bradley said the city's opposition doesn't sway him because the city initially supported the aquarium. "In principal, I don't mind leaving [bonding] questions to the public at large."

The city's Redevelopment Agency Board - which is the City Council - bought four acres in 2001 for the aquarium. The aquarium has had first dibs on the parcel and it exercised that right last week. It is now negotiating the terms of the sale.

The RDA wants to require that the aquarium be built by a certain date. Aquarium officials have threatened to sue, though Benjamin said Friday: "A win-win solution is very feasible and possible. If everybody works together, I think everybody will benefit."

While Salt Lake City's mayor predicts the aquarium board will not end up buying the land, aquarium board members disagree.

"This is the same Rocky Anderson who didn't think the Main Street Plaza was going to go forward," said Enid Greene, a board member and former congresswoman. "We have no intention of not going forward with the project."“The aquarium people have a real uphill climb here.”

RANDY HORIUCHI

County councilman

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