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Zoo Sold, Should Reopen In 2010
December 8, 2009
The Zoo Northwest Florida has been sold, and it is expected to open later this winter or early in the Spring.
The zoo was sold last Friday to Eric Mogenson who owns the Virginia Safari Park in Natural Bridge, Va. The Virginia park is a “a 180-acre adventure, offering ‘up close and personal’ experiences with free-roaming herds of animals from six continents, including camels, llamas, bison, elk, zebras, antelopes, ostriches, deer, and giraffes”. Visitors drive-thru the park, which has been open since 2000, with an opportunity to interact with many of the animals.
“The experience of having a huge bull elk or bison only inches away, feeding from your bucket, is virtually impossible to describe. This unique animal encounter park appeals to all ages and has become one of the region’s top attractions,” the park’s web site states.
The Zoo Northwest Florida closed in August after 25 years. The Zoo attempted to obtained funding from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in order to remain open. Zoo officials said the facility, owned by Animal Park, Inc., was $4.5 million in debt, much of it from Hurricane Ivan and Dennis damage.
The financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.
Comments
7 Responses to “Zoo Sold, Should Reopen In 2010”
This is the best news I have heard in quite a while! We were so very sad when it closed, for the animals and also the staff. Even though it was small, it was all we had w/out driving clear over to the Gulf Coast Zoo. We visited often and will continue to support it after it reopens. I would be thrilled to have programs like the Gulf Coast Zoo has, where the public can pay a fee to spend one on one time (30 minutes) with a baby tiger or similar animal. It is a great way to make extra money for the zoo. I am thrilled for all the little ones that will get to grow up with a zoo close by and have many fond memories to cherish of it. Thanks, Mr. Mogenson!
i think its awesome that its going to reopen!!! i agree with you wild bill about moving north of I-10 with more land to play would draw more visitors!!…..heres another concept, why not have a program where the left over scraps from restaurants are placed in a 55 gallon drum ( breads in one, salad in another, meat in another) have volunteers/community service people pick them up and swap out with new ones,(zoo would have the flatbed truck) in return, the restaurants after a meal can buy dicounted tickets to the zoo…it will eliminate vagrants/rodents going thru the trash, helps feeds the animals, increases business at the restaurant there fore increase sales for the zoo…..volunteers/community service people would have a way to work the hours off and help keep the zoo clean because they can pick up the trash in the zoo also.. i know is way off course but i would love to see the zoo reopen also..
I’ll be glad to see them open again as long as they do it without more taxpayer money. I know most zoos are publicly funded, but that doesn’t make the practice right. Especially in economic times like these, people can’t reach any deeper into their pockets. And taxes and prices are going up.
We haven’t been to the zoo since well before Ivan. Even then, it wasn’t a well-kept zoo.
They will have to get different animals since the ones on loan have gone back to the owning zoo, and some have been sold. The Zoo was building some new exhibits when they closed (the coyote was getting ready to move to a big new exhibit with some enrichment props in it).
i agree with “wild bill”. As a kid i loved going to the zoo and it was soemthing we did often around christmas for the lights but ever since ivan the zoo has really down graded. not only are there not alot of animals around but they are hardly ever out becuase of the living conditions. all the old hands on exhibits are falling apart and its nothing like i remember it being. i hope this new owner will do alot of improvements and hopefully get some diffrent animals if so i will be visiting more often!!!!!
I personally would prefer to see the zoo moved north of I-10 as I don’t feel the environment in which they are currently housed in Gulf Breeze is adequate. At the current location animals are kept in cramped quarters with cars and trucks buzzing by at all times of the day and night within 100 yards and they don’t have the land needed to expand. Move the zoo North and give the animals some room to play in more natural surroundings, then I believe many more visitors would probably visit. I have been to the zoo twice in recent years and both times left feeling sad because of the way these animals are housed and maintained.
I am so excited about this! I hope the new owner’s pick up on and give even more fuel to the improvements that were going on. Taking care of the animals will lock me in as a regular visitor!