Aquariums in Cleveland, where this sand shark lives, Toledo and Chicago prove to be too much competition for Windsor. (Greater Cleveland Aquarium)

An aquarium is not viable in Windsor.

That's the conclusion of a committee looking into such a project.

City officials and the University of Windsor's Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research had been studying the idea.

A member of the group, Mario Sonego, who is the city engineer, said there are aquariums relatively nearby. There is a new one in Cleveland, a small one in Toledo and one in Chicago, he noted. Toronto is to build an aquarium at the base of the CN Tower:

Sonego said aquariums do entice tourists but they are expensive to construct, depending on the size.

"There are pros and cons to them, but we decided to [ask] 'do we really want to go forward based on all the ones that are planned or existing and our recommendation?'" Sonego said.

The answer was no.

A report with the recommendation not to proceed with an aquarium goes before council at its Feb. 7 meeting.