ZooTampa expansion: Hillsborough County approves $75M for new South America area, upgrades

Plans to expand ZooTampa

Big changes are on the way for ZooTampa, as leaders move forward with plans to upgrade existing exhibits and potentially double the park’s footprint through a major expansion project. FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Big changes are on the way for ZooTampa, as leaders move forward with plans to upgrade existing exhibits and potentially double the park’s footprint through a major expansion project.

Zoo officials say the facility has grown into a top destination over the past decade, now attracting about 1.2 million visitors each year. With that growth, leaders believe it is time to invest in the zoo’s future.

"Over the last ten years, we've really become a world-class zoo and a leader in conservation and education," said Chief Zoological Officer Chris Massaro.

What we know:

Hillsborough County commissioners recently voted unanimously to move forward with negotiating a funding plan for the project. The proposal includes $75 million in public money spread over 15 years, with ZooTampa matching that amount through revenue and private donations.

County leaders say the zoo plays an important role in the community, both as an affordable attraction and an educational resource.

"They're one of the most financially accessible destinations in Hillsborough County. On top of that, they offer extreme environmental and educational benefits to our community," said Commissioner Joshua Wostal.

Zoo leaders say part of the plan focuses on renovating the existing Asia and Africa exhibits to enhance the guest experience and improve animal habitats.

The larger vision includes a major expansion that would transform a nearby city-owned maintenance property into a new South American exhibit. The addition would connect the zoo to the Hillsborough River and could nearly double its overall size.

Officials say the expansion would not take away green space from Lowry Park and could even improve public access, including the possibility of future water taxi service connecting downtown Tampa to the zoo.

"The expansion of South America wouldn't impact any green space in Lowry Park; it would continue to provide access for the community to the boat ramps," Massaro said. "And the exciting thing is there's potential of water taxis coming up connecting downtown to Zoo Tampa."

The public funding would come from the Community Investment Tax, which also supports other major attractions like the Straz Center, the Tampa Bay History Center, and the Florida Aquarium. Some commissioners raised concerns about balancing funding for multiple community destinations.

"The reality is that probably, many of them, if not all of them are going to have similar requests," said Commissioner Ken Hagan.

Despite those concerns, commissioners ultimately agreed the investment in ZooTampa is worthwhile.

What's next:

Zoo officials say they are not ready to set a timeline for the full expansion, but renovations to existing exhibits could begin as early as the end of next year.