VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — Virginia Beach has bought about 2.5 acres from the Navy to create a new Virginia Aquarium Marine Animal Care Center.

The city made the announcement Friday.

The city paid about $128,000 for the land, which is across from the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center.

The Marine Animal Care Center provides operational support for the aquarium. The new 18,000-square-foot center will cost about $13.7 million and is expected to open in 2018. The city says it will fund construction while the nonprofit Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation will provide funding to equip the new facilities.

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