Brayden Delashmutt
Well-Known Member
I think that a high budget zoo like this could do well if it opened in phases, with it gaining more public attention and money while the new areas were being made.
AZA Zoo for Las Vegas?
- Thread starter Loxodonta Cobra
- Start date
Absolutely. Go with some desert-adapted ABC species and a few unusual ones and it could take off.
Ok pandas is STUPIDLY ambitious but maybe not given how many people waste their lives on the slots so idk, I'm not an economist
As animals go, I'd personally base the zoo around species that do well in hot, dry climates. This isn't that hard since all of the ABC species of the African savannah already call such hostile places home (even elephants and black rhino live in pretty desolate parts of Namibia)
As animals go, I'd personally base the zoo around species that do well in hot, dry climates. This isn't that hard since all of the ABC species of the African savannah already call such hostile places home (even elephants and black rhino live in pretty desolate parts of Namibia)
Exactly. There could be nice sized enclosures if there were fewer species. There could be species from every continent except Europe and Antarctica.
Blackleopard207
Well-Known Member
Blackleopard207
Well-Known Member
Group plans to bring ‘world class’ zoo to Las Vegas
I found this article from 2018.
Apparently there was a Las Vegas Zoo before but it closed when staff left. Although, from what I read, it was just around 150 animals on 3 acres.
I found this article from 2018.
Apparently there was a Las Vegas Zoo before but it closed when staff left. Although, from what I read, it was just around 150 animals on 3 acres.
Blackleopard207
Well-Known Member
The website has also provided a contact page, so if you have any questions you can reach out to them for information.
I don’t know how this may play out but it’s been talked about for years how Las Vegas may want to have a zoo but I can’t imagine it being a particularly massive hit. Las Vegas is very much a tourist destination with people going to gamble or see their many shows with big name artists doing residencies. It does raise some suspicion how their map highlights species/exhibits that may not fit well into the desert environment. It does say it’s a conceptual map but it feels a bit too good to be true
There is already a thread for this. AZA Zoo for Las Vegas?
Well, Las Vegas is increasingly a "real" and lived in city, so there is that going for it. The city itself has grown exponentially in the last 20 years, it is no longer just a tourist city.
That said, the map looks like someone said "what are the most popular zoo animals" and put them all there. They certainly have all of them: lions, tigers, bears, panda, elephants, polar bear, penguins, gorillas, chimps.
Phase 1 is 75 out of the dreamed 100 acres? That is pretty ambitious, to say the least. Generally one would start at 25 acres and spread out from there, unless we were talking about a safari park, which this is not.
I will say that I have had professional business (non-animal related) interaction in the past with the Founder and Chairman listed on the website. It was not a great interaction and I would never donate a dime to anything ran by him. I literally laughed out loud when I saw that he was running this organization, I had no idea he was involved in the zoo world.
That said, the map looks like someone said "what are the most popular zoo animals" and put them all there. They certainly have all of them: lions, tigers, bears, panda, elephants, polar bear, penguins, gorillas, chimps.
Phase 1 is 75 out of the dreamed 100 acres? That is pretty ambitious, to say the least. Generally one would start at 25 acres and spread out from there, unless we were talking about a safari park, which this is not.
I will say that I have had professional business (non-animal related) interaction in the past with the Founder and Chairman listed on the website. It was not a great interaction and I would never donate a dime to anything ran by him. I literally laughed out loud when I saw that he was running this organization, I had no idea he was involved in the zoo world.
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Blackleopard207
Well-Known Member
I see what you guys are saying. But, I thought them having a website was information that people might want to look at. And yes, polar bears in the desert did seem like a strange idea.
Blackleopard207
Well-Known Member
Regardless of whether this particular plan comes together or not, Las Vegas would be a good location. It has a decent population and also a lot of tourists. So hopefully it does get a zoo sometime in the near future.
They aren't the type of tourists that are looking to go to a zoo, though.
Blackleopard207
Well-Known Member
You’re right, maybe some of them would. But a lot of them are more interested in the casinos.
Zoos are a local destination, for people living in the area. Overall they are not tourist destinations, with a few notable exceptions. But LV probably does have the population to support a zoo now.
Persephone
Well-Known Member
Las Vegas already has an AZA accredited institution. I could see a zoo happening but I highly doubt this is going to be the project. Unless the city / state was spearheading it I would expect them to start with more or a Living Desert / Sonoran Desert Museum approach with mainly local species or ones they don’t need to do any expensive climate control for. Then they can build from there once they have actual revenues and public goodwill.
Honestly, even if the city and state were spearheading it this is the direction I would bet to happen over a project that would end up costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
