By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
November 16, 2011

Jackson and Clay County voters chose to boost the Kansas City Zoo to a new level Tuesday, Nov. 8.

County voters approved the formation of a Zoological District and a 1/8th-cent sales tax to provide additional funding for the 102-year-old zoo.

The 1/8th-cent sales tax will become effective Jan. 1 and is expected to generate an additional $15 million per year in revenue for zoo operations.

Jackson County voters approved the tax 70 percent to 30 percent while Clay County voters approved the tax 50.94 percent to 49.06 percent.

“My reaction was extreme excitement,” said Randy Wisthoff, executive director of the Kansas City Zoo. “My gratitude goes out to the voters.”

For years, the zoo has struggled financially due to the fluctuation of public support, Wisthoff said. Now with a steady revenue stream, Wisthoff hopes the zoo will become a prime destination like the zoos in St. Louis, Denver, Colo., and Columbus, Ohio.

“Many of them (zoos) outdraw the professional sports teams in their respective towns on a per annum basis,” Wisthoff said.

Although city-owned, the zoo will continue to be operated by the Friends of the Zoo (FOTZ), a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All sales tax revenue will be kept in a Zoological District Tax Fund, which will be overseen and budgeted by an independent commission comprised of representatives from Jackson and Clay counties.

The additional sales tax revenue will aid the zoo in constructing several new exhibits, including a “one-of-a-kind” penguin exhibit, predator canyon/tiger exhibit and a kids’ wet play zone. Renovations will be made to the zoo’s gorilla/ape exhibit, as well as the sea lion exhibit, among others. The construction projects are expected to employ 1,200 workers and create more than 100 new, permanent jobs.

Asked how the penguin exhibit will be “one-of-a-kind,” Wisthoff said not only will the zoo offer warm weather penguins, but also ones from Antarctica that will require a refrigerated exhibit. Penguins will range from Emperor penguins to Kings to Rockhoppers to Gentoos and more.

“We’ll offer underwater viewing, too,” he said. “Penguins are very popular. Our intent is to build it (exhibit) bigger and better than anything around.”

In addition to improved zoo attractions, Jackson and Clay County residents will benefit from the formation of a Zoological District in several ways. Residents of the two counties will receive half-price admission to the zoo and four free zoo days per year, as well as discounts for Friends of the Zoo (FOTZ) memberships.

The Kansas City Zoo will also be able to offer fully sponsored science and educational field trips for local schools beginning in 2012.

“Because of state funding cuts in education, field trips are usually the first to take a hit,” he said. “We want to make that available to schools in Jackson or Clay counties, so that those kids who are interested in science can get a hands-on experience that they may not have experienced before.”

In addition to covering the cost of transportation and zoo tickets, the Kansas City Zoo wants to offer programming to align with the textbook science curriculum for certain grade levels. The goal is to supplement what’s being taught in the classrooms, he said.

Youngsters won’t be the only ones to benefit from educational programming.

“We will be providing, at no cost to Clay and Jackson County (residents), a ‘Zoomobile’ staffed with representatives from our educational department, as well as animal care that will bring animals to any agency that requests the Zoomobile,” Wisthoff said.

For 50 weeks a year, the Zoomobile will hit the road, offering its services free of charge to Jackson and Clay counties.

For more information about the Kansas City Zoo, visit www.kansas-cityzoo.org.