COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is looking to expand their domain and are vying for approval of $44.8 million and $35.2 million in bonds from Richland and Lexington counties.
Earlier this week the Richland County Council decided to pass their part of the $80 million bond proposal nearly a year after denying that same proposal.
The zoo said the expansion would take place across the Saluda River in phase two of their three phase project. Phase Two is said to be completed within a five year time frame, according to zoo media relations manager Matt Perron.
“Phase two would bring in a restaurant, a gondola system, a giant orangutan habitat and walking trails where you are walking through the primate forests, and then up to the nature preserve with the black bears and red wolves,” said Perron.
The expansion, that both Richland and Lexington County will pay for, comes with a price tag of $80 million in bonds.
This proposal was last voted on in July of 2022, but was defeated after a narrow 6-5 vote by Richland County council due to some council members questioning whether the property tax increase of an estimated $7.34 per every $100,000 dollars in value was worth it.
“I don't believe that pay for the expansion plan should fall solely on Richland County residents via property taxes,” said Richland County Council Chair Overture Walker.
Walker, who originally voted to pass the request in 2022, voted no in the most recent 10-1 vote.
“I'm a huge proponent of the concept of the zoo's expansion plan. But it's about timing and about how we pay for this and do it in a way that's suitable and least burdensome for Richland County residents," Walker explained.
The chairman has advocated for a sales tax to fund this project going forward so visitors of the zoo can help with the cost of the expansion, especially given how the return on investment will affect the counties funding the expansion proposal.
“The reality is it sits in the City of Columbia and sits in the City of West Columbia. So what that means is when someone goes to the zoo and buys an item or purchases a meal, those are hospitality tax dollars that go to the City of Columbia,” Walker said.
The rest of the Richland County Council thought otherwise and were able to pass the request earlier this month. Lexington County has yet to vote and will do so sometime next month.