▁nearby ▁Central ▁Water works ▁plant . ▁In ▁mid - 2 0 0 0 , ▁Land ry ' s ▁plan ▁was ▁accepted ▁over ▁an ▁alternate ▁proposal ▁by ▁the ▁Post / C ord ish ▁partners hip . ▁The ▁Central ▁Water works ▁plant ▁would ▁be ▁a ▁sh ark ▁and ▁ray ▁exhibition ▁habitat . ▁The ▁main ▁restaurant ▁would ▁be ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁floor ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁fire house , ▁which ▁would ▁remain ▁int act ▁while ▁construction ▁took ▁place ▁around ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁Dow nt own ▁Aqu arium ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁a ▁campaign ▁target ing ▁the ▁Aqu arium ' s ▁white ▁t iger ▁exhib it ▁was ▁launched ▁by ▁animal ▁rights ▁activ ists . ▁The ▁Dow nt own ▁Aqu arium ▁rejected ▁the ▁criticism ▁of ▁the ▁exhib it ▁by ▁stating ▁that ▁their ▁" t ig ers ▁receive ▁exempl ary ▁animal ▁care ," ▁and ▁" our ▁t iger ▁exhib it ▁has ▁been ▁acc red ited ▁by ▁A Z A , ▁and ▁every ▁year ▁by ▁the ▁US DA ." ▁The ▁Animal ▁Leg al ▁Def ense ▁Fund ▁has ▁threatened ▁to ▁file ▁a ▁law suit ▁if ▁the ▁aqu arium ▁does ▁not ▁close ▁the ▁exhib it ▁and ▁transfer ▁the ▁t ig ers ▁to ▁a ▁san ctu ary . ▁ ▁Al leg ations ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁Animal ▁Leg al ▁Def ense ▁Fund ▁( AL DF ) ▁served ▁Houston ' s ▁Dow nt own ▁Aqu arium ▁( and ▁Land ry '