ZooTampa at Lowry Park is planning a $125 million expansion that would include a direct link to the Hillsborough River and new wildlife experiences.
The 20-year project would also include an expanded manatee centre, enlarged African and Asian habitats, and a new South American habitat with jaguars, sea lions and giant river otters.
“Due to our temperate climate, we’re one of the few zoos in the country that can really house these species that are native to South America without putting them indoors,” ZooTampa CEO and president Joe Couceiro told the Tampa Bay Times.
Jaguars, sea lions and giant river otters
The first developments in the project are an expanded stingray exhibit to launch in 2023, and an expanded manatee rehabilitation and care centre to open by 2026.
The zoo will also add a new entrance along Lowry Park with shops, dining facilities and an entertainment space. This will be accessible to the public.
“ZooTampa is a community treasure, and we look forward to reviewing the parts of the proposed expansion that require City of Tampa approval,” Tampa’s administrator for development and economic opportunity Nicole Travis said in a statement.
The zoo will seek public and private financing for the project. “We have a long way to go, but we feel that over the next 20 years, $125 million is doable,” said Couceiro.
“We want to make sure we deliver an experience that at the present provides the type of value that Tampa residents and visitors alike are looking for and can take advantage of,” added Couceiro.
The Florida Aquarium in Tampa has also announced a major expansion to begin in January 2023 and complete in 2025.
The $40 million project will include a special exhibit gallery, a multi-species gallery featuring puffins, an African penguin habitat, and a large-scale outdoor exhibit for California sea lions.
Images: ZooTampa
