Aquatic mural is added to Georgia Aquarium

Aquatic mural is added to Georgia Aquarium

ATLANTA — The world’s largest aquarium has its very own Michelangelo.

This summer, visitors will find an aquatic mural by Italian artist Silvio Irilli on the expansive ceiling at the entrance to the Georgia Aquarium.

The 3,000-square-foot mural is an ocean scene with many of the creatures visitors can find at the aquarium — a whale shark, a beluga whale, schools of fish and a sea turtle.

The painting even features dolphins, which the aquarium is adding to its roster in 2010.

Travel + Leisure’s ‘50 reasons to love the U.S.’

NEW YORK — If you can’t afford to go to Europe this summer but you’re looking for some interesting places to visit close to home, check out Travel + Leisure’s “50 reasons to love the U.S.A. now” in the magazine’s July issue and online at www.travelandleisure.com/articles/50-reasons-to-love-the-usa-now.

The guide, described by the magazine as “highly opinionated,” is divided into four geographic regions (Northeast Mid-Atlantic, West Southwest, South Southeast and Midwest) with listings for every state.

Vermont to give away free gas this summer

MONTPELIER, Vt. — If you’re traveling in Vermont this summer, you might want to register for a gas giveaway contest.

The state is giving away $100 gas cards each week in hopes of encouraging people to visit.

The summer promotion, dubbed “Vermont Fuels Your Vacation,” runs through Sept. 30.

The cards are redeemable at participating gas stations. You can register at www.VermontVacation.com/fuel.

Established in 2006, the promotion drew an average of 240 entries per week last summer.

Several Vermont inns and lodging properties are also offering fuel-saving packages and gas card promotions in hopes of drumming up summer business.

Casino to reopen under Caesars Windsor name

WINDSOR, Ontario — Caesars Windsor casino is opening under its new name after a $439 million makeover designed to compete with expanded casinos in nearby Detroit.

Operators of Casino Windsor announced its re-branding as Caesars Windsor in December 2006.

The casino includes a 27-story, 369-room Augustus Tower hotel and 100,000 square feet of convention space.

The roster of performers at the 5,000-seat Colosseum theater this summer includes Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, Ringo Starr, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Neil Sedaka and Donna Summer.

Shark Reef Aquarium gets Komodo dragon

LAS VEGAS — Cheap buffets. 99-cent shrimp cocktails. Single-deck blackjack.

The list of endangered species in Las Vegas just got longer: A Komodo dragon has arrived at the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

The 87-pound, 7-foot-long endangered lizard was acquired from the Miami Metro Zoo in honor of the aquarium’s eighth anniversary.

It’s among 75 such lizards in zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada, according to Shark Reef officials.

Associated Press