ZooChatter "Arizona Docent" can confirm this but I think that the latest opening date is set for around February 2012. The folks at the zoo are extremely excited as with the 7 acre addition (including the barn perhaps 4 full acres just for the 5 or so elephants) it is easily the largest construction project ever undertaken by the zoo. The white rhino/Speke's gazelle/kori bustard/marabou stork exhibit currently at the zoo, which is quite impressive, will be expanded at the same time.
As far as what will go into the old elephant exhibit...no one knows! I asked on my visit and everything from an Australian Outback section to an enclosed building of some kind has been discussed but nothing has been finalized. I found an article not too long ago that stated that between 2003 and 2008 attendance at the zoo jumped 24%, and now Reid Park regularly pulls in over 500,000 annual visitors. If Expedition Tanzania boosts attendance to a much higher number then perhaps there will be funding for developing the old elephant exhibit into something truly exciting.
