ZooTampa gets $75M in county funding for major expansion and upgrades
Commissioners approve ZooTampa expansion project
ZooTampa is preparing for a major transformation after Hillsborough County commissioners approved a $75 million investment in the zoo's capital improvement plans. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - ZooTampa is preparing for a major transformation after Hillsborough County commissioners approved a $75 million investment in the zoo's capital improvement plans.
The zoo will match the county funding, bringing the total investment to $150 million over the next 15 years.
ZooTampa expansion plan
By the numbers:
The county's $75 million contribution will come from Community Investment Tax funds, which are generated through a half-cent sales tax.
Under the agreement, the county will provide ZooTampa with $5 million annually through 2041.
ZooTampa plans to use the money to upgrade existing habitats, including areas that date back to the 1980s.
Planned improvements include upgrades to the zoo's Primate and Asia areas, in addition to an expanded elephant habitat and mixed-species habitats in the Africa section.
The zoo also plans to add a family coaster in the Australia section.
South America section
Why you should care:
One of the biggest additions will be a new South America section that will be built in two phases.
The expansion will extend the zoo across North Boulevard and take over a city of Tampa maintenance facility.
Plans include an event courtyard, a jaguar flooded forest and a restaurant.
ZooTampa says the green space surrounding the existing Lowry Park building will remain, and the zoo will continue maintaining the park's bathrooms and boat ramp.
Tourism goals and economic impact
What they're saying:
ZooTampa Chief Marketing Officer Sandra Torres said the project is part of the zoo's ongoing effort to transform the attraction.
Torres said the goal is eventually to make Tampa a destination for people specifically looking to visit the zoo.
"We hope that one day, you know, same way people visit San Diego to go to San Diego Zoo, that people think about, ‘Hey, let's go to Tampa because we want to go through Tampa,’" Torres said.
ZooTampa currently attracts about 1.2 million visitors each year.
The zoo says the improvements could help attract even more visitors while creating a world-class attraction for future generations.
Divided county commission vote
The other side:
The funding agreement was not unanimously supported on Wednesday.
Commissioners approved the deal in a 4-3 vote.
Some commissioners argued the money should instead be distributed among other cultural institutions in Hillsborough County.
ZooTampa says it is the largest cultural institution in Florida and the second-largest educator of Hillsborough County children outside of school.
Project completion schedule
What's next:
ZooTampa says it will spend the next year finalizing details of the capital improvement plan.
The new South America section is expected to be the final portion of the project to be built.
Leaders hope to have all of the projects completed by the end of the funding period in 2041.
The Source: Information in this story comes from Hillsborough County commissioners' vote on the funding agreement and comments from ZooTampa Chief Marketing Officer Sandra Torres provided to FOX 13.