Aquarium is new home to iconic structure 'The Claw' of U2's world tour set

(KUTV) -- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium announced Tuesday that is the new, permanent home to a 165-foot tall iconic structure called, "The Claw," a stage set for U2’s world tour from 2009-2011.

The feature seats 7,000 and includes a 350-seat outdoor venue that is to be used for the Aquarium's nine-acre Science Learning Campus expansion.

“Since the 360 Tour concluded in 2011, we’ve been vetting potential sites for the permanent placement of The Claw,” said Craig Evans, U2 Tour Director, in a news release. “It’s bittersweet to see it go, but we are pleased it’s going to enhance the mission and vision of Loveland Living Planet Aquarium as part of its expanded campus.”

In addition to The Claw, the Science Learning Campus is going to offer an 80,000 square-foot Science Learning Center to provide immersive experiences for guests to learn about the natural world and need for conservation, the release said.

A five-story Asian Cloud Forest Habitat & Endangered Species Conservation Center, interactive science stations, new indoor and outdoor animal exhibits, and high-tech laboratories and classrooms are among the center's features.

“We are excited to bring this iconic monument to its permanent home in Utah,” said Brent Andersen, LLPA’s Founder & CEO, and a marine biologist, in a public statement. “This landmark will shine a light on our mission to inspire people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. We will use it to help people understand that the environments we live in are all interconnected as one global ecosystem, the living planet.”

The Aquarium is raising $25 million to create the entire Science Learning Campus. Construction is slated to begin this fall.

For those interested in learning how they can help support this effort, visit Expansion.TheLivingPlanet.com or make a donation at GoFundMe.com/LivingPlanetAquarium.

The Claw at a glance:

Height: 165 feet – as tall as 60 Gentoo penguins stacked one on top of another

Weight: 190 tons – as heavy as six Humpback whales

Area: 28,287 square feet – 78 times more area than the wingspan of a 19-foot Manta ray

Strength: Supports up to 200 tons – the weight of 10 Whale sharks

Built from: 42 truckloads of steel