Title
PRESENTATION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR AN ELEPHANT BARN.
Presented by: William P. Buchanan, County Manager.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive and file.
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Through extensive studies, we continue to learn more about the complex social structure and great intelligence of elephants. The Sedgwick County Zoo has been a leader in developing new Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) standards in the care and enrichment of elephants which requires that zoos must have three or more elephants to maintain an elephant exhibit. As zoos around the country are meeting these new standards, they are spending millions of dollars with Denver opening a new $52 million exhibit last year and Omaha planning a $40 million exhibit. As with other Sedgwick County Zoo exhibits, we have the creativity and vision locally to produce a world-class exhibit for much less. The total cost for the planned exhibit is $10.5 million.
To date, $4.3 million has been raised from generous donors toward a new elephant exhibit for the Sedgwick County Zoo. The County is being requested to support building a new barn to replace the 42-year-old barn, much as we would consider replacing another County building that has served the community well. Without partnering with the County on the "Sedgwick County Elephant Barn" or an unexpected lead gift in the next few weeks, construction cannot be started in time to meet the AZA requirements. The Sedgwick County Zoological Society's Board of Directors is requesting $5.3 million for the "Sedgwick County Elephant Barn." AZA standards must be met by September 1, 2016 or elephants are not allowed in the current environment. In order to build a public exhibit and barn that meet these standards, the latest that final plans and project construction can begin is this September.