U2’s ‘The Claw’ Gets Permanent Home At Utah Aquarium, Planning To Hold Concerts

– The Claw Rendering
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium

The 165-foot “The Claw” structure taken across the globe on U2’s massive 2009-2011 “360-Degree Tour” has found a somewhat surprising permanent home – the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah.

“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. “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.”

Representatives for the aquarium told Pollstar, “We will have a 7,000-seat and 350-seat outdoor venues. In addition, the Science Learning Campus will also feature special events, festivals, movies in the park, imaginative play areas, and more.”

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The Claw will soon be preserved and sustainably repurposed as a Utah landmark and symbol of science exploration and learning, according to the announcement. It is one of two remaining structures and will be the only Claw in the United States.

“The short answer to how we acquired it is we asked!” the representative told Pollstar. “The Aquarium saw how The Claw could help elevate its mission to inspire people to Explore, Discover, and Learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems and reached out to Live Nation about becoming the permanent home for the structure.

“The Claw will cost a fraction of the projected $25 million needed to develop the overall Science Learning Campus. Expenses associated with The Claw include cross-country transportation, site preparation and installation of the permanent structure, on-site assembly, and creation of The Claw’s 7,000-seat venue and Eco Command Center that will become community assets.”

AP Photo – Dismantling
Workers take down the stage from the U2 concert at Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland,

The Claw is part of an expanded Science Learning Campus that will boast an 80,000 square-foot Science Learning Center. Beneath The Claw’s stage, a highly detailed thematic experience called the Eco Command Center will combine elements from escape rooms, simulators, and team building activities.

The 360 tour kept U2 near the very top of Pollstar’s Year End Top Tours chart for the full three years, with 2009 grossing $311 million worldwide (No. 1), 2010 grossing $160.9 million (No. 3) and 2011 back at No. 1 for the year with $231.9 grossed worldwide yet again.

Bono and friends were back at it again in 2017, at No. 1 yet again on the Joshua Tree Tour 2017 celebrating the band’s seminal 1987 album.

The Live Nation tour grossed another $316 million worldwide in 2017 according to Pollstar data, and U2 figures to be near the top again in 2018 with new music on the Experience + Innocence tour playing arenas from May well into November in North America and Europe.