Lights, Camera, Distraction! The Aquarium’s Still a Bad Idea
August 14th 2025
This headline hit like a bad punchline:
Ryan McMahon wants the future Onondaga County Aquarium to double as a film location.
Another “big idea” stacked on top of an already shaky $100 million decision. Somehow we are supposed to believe this turns wasteful spending into visionary planning. Even if the aquarium could moonlight as a movie set, it is still a waste of money.
The money shuffle
Let’s remember how we got here. This project is already north of 100 million. Now we are raiding a little-known fund meant for Onondaga Lake cleanup, on top of taking American Rescue Plan money to cover the inflation that “no one could’ve seen coming” except the many people who spoke during public comment saying so. That is money being pulled away from other departments and priorities. We are robbing Peter to pay Paul, only Paul is building an aquarium and Peter is trying to clean up the lake, fully stock our food bank and fix the real problems we face in our community.
“We’re doing enough”
Last month one of my colleagues, County Legislator Olson, put out a statement that, at its core, argues the county is already doing enough. I disagree. I believe we are not doing enough to help people, and the struggles in our community prove it every day. In the statement, he says he is against any “more” money being spent on the aquarium. The problem is that he voted for the original $85 million aquarium proposal in 2022. That yes vote is a big reason we are in this position now. He found it important to share that the county executive “can” use public funds to pay for the project, but the question voters constantly ask me is “should” we use public funds to pay for the project. If we were serious about doing enough for our residents, we would not be doubling down on a project that drains resources from urgent needs.
Meanwhile, back in reality
We are in a growing housing crisis. Families are slipping through the cracks. I have already written about how we are failing refugees, but the truth is we are not doing enough for families facing hardship right now.
Even if the aquarium and movie studio concept worked perfectly, the optics are horrible. Imagine telling struggling families, homeless children, or parents waiting at food pantries that the county’s priority is a fish tank that occasionally hosts a film crew. When food banks are facing cuts, when life is chaotic and unpredictable for so many, when people are barely getting by…
The optics say: you do not matter. We are going to use your money to build a fish tank, and if movie stars film at your fish tank, we’re going to use your money to pay for their expenses. TF?
I could go on…
I could spend hours laying out every reason why this is a terrible idea, every way our priorities are upside down, and every example of how our people deserve better. Right now, I am frustrated. I am angry. I do not even know what to do next. Putting out that we’re on this BS, while I’m getting calls about families’ homes flooding, people calling 911 and feeling like they’re being sent to voicemail, but sure, let’s make sure we got the resources for Pete Davidson’s next project.