COLUMBIA, South Carolina — Riverbanks Zoo is getting ready to request funds from both Richland and Lexington County to try again at making a park expansion happen.
The project is called ‘Bridge to the Wild’ which the zoo has been working on in phases since 2019. Phase II is what they are hoping to work on now.
Zoo leaders tried to get funding for the zoo last year, by going before Richland County Council and asking for an $80 million bond, which would have raised property taxes in the area. The vote did not pass, leaving the zoo to look for other solutions.
Now the zoo is dividing the bond between Richland and Lexington Counties. Tommy Stringfellow, CEO of Riverbanks Zoo, says they are trying for a bond again because the zoo needs to maintain its momentum.
“We get some massive crowds on weekends and we need to expand the campus so we can avoid turning any tourists away that drive from Charlotte, Greenville, or out of state, so the big thing is we need to expand the campus," Stringfellow explained. "Second thing is we have to continue every year adding something new and that will continue the growth of tourism and the growth to the visitation of the zoo which in turn returns a great economic impact."
Riverbanks is asking for $44.8 million from Richland County and $35.2 million from Lexington County. The bond money would go toward adding an Orangutan exhibit, and a multi-purpose building that would extend to the Cayce Riverwalk, with a restaurant and deck that would remain open after the zoo closes.
“Over the 10 to 15 years these projects will take it'll drive more tourists to this area, which results in more jobs being added. We're expecting about 500 jobs to be created from this. The zoo supports a total of $148 million per year, and an additional $30 million per year should this pass," Stringfellow stated.
Lexington County Council Chair, Beth Carrigg says she and her fellow council members are on board. She gave a statement on Friday saying, “The zoo is the number one tourist attraction in the Midlands, and they are good partners with Lexington County. I believe we will be willing to partner with them once they present their plan to the council.”
This approval will have to come soon according to Carrigg because the budget season is right around the corner.
That presentation to both county councils will have to be sometime before the end of June and before July. County budgets in Richland and Lexington are supposed to go into effect on July 1 every year.