Mega-Budget American Zoo Exhibits

[Emanuel Theodorus]

I spent a considerable amount of time researching zoo exhibits in the United States that have opened since 2004. I then made a list that only included an exhibit complex that cost a minimum of $10 million and I ended up with almost 140 different exhibits.

Here are the ‘mega-budget’ exhibits, rounded off to the nearest million bucks.

2004 – Denver Zoo: Predator Ridge - $20 million
2004 – Jacksonville Zoo: Range of the Jaguar - $15 million
2004 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Center for African Apes - $26 million
2004 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Hubbard Gorilla Valley - $14 million
2004 – Palm Beach Zoo: Tropics of the Americas - $30 million
2004 – Point Defiance Zoo: Asian Forest Sanctuary - $10 million

2005 – Cameron Park Zoo: Brazos River Country - $10 million
2005 – Indianapolis Zoo: Dolphin Adventure Dome - $10 million
2005 – National Aquarium: Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes - $75 million
2005 – Oakland Zoo: Valley Children’s Zoo - $16 million
2005 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Orangutan Forest - $12 million
2005 – Tennessee Aquarium: Ocean Journey building - $30 million

2006 – Memphis Zoo: Northwest Passage - $23 million
2006 – Philadelphia Zoo: Big Cat Falls - $20 million
2006 – Pittsburgh Zoo: Water’s Edge - $12 million
2006 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Asia Trail - $53 million

2007 – Indianapolis Zoo: Oceans - $10 million
2007 – Los Angeles Zoo: Campo Gorilla Reserve - $19 million
2007 – Oklahoma City Zoo: Oklahoma Trails - $10 million
2007 – Seattle Aquarium: Window on Washington Waters + pier replacement - $41 million

2008 – Bronx Zoo: Madagascar! - $62 million
2008 – Buffalo Zoo: Rainforest Falls - $16 million
2008 – Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Jungala - $25 million?
2008 – Mesker Park Zoo: Amazonia - $13 million
2008 – Minnesota Zoo: Russia’s Grizzly Coast - $24 million
2008 – San Antonio Zoo: Africa Live! Phase 1 - $12 million
2008 – Zoo Miami: Amazon & Beyond - $50 million

2009 – Central Park Zoo: Snow Leopard Exhibit - $10 million
2009 – Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo: African Journey - $10 million
2009 – Memphis Zoo: Teton Trek - $16 million
2009 – New England Aquarium: Marine Mammal Center - $12 million
2009 – Peoria Zoo: Africa! - $27 million
2009 – Philadelphia Zoo: McNeil Avian Center (renovation) - $17 million
2009 – San Diego Zoo: Elephant Odyssey - $45 million
2009 – Shedd Aquarium: Oceanarium (renovation) - $50 million

2010 – Brookfield Zoo: Great Bear Wilderness - $27 million
2010 – Columbus Zoo: Polar Frontier - $20 million
2010 – Como Park Zoo: Polar Bear Odyssey - $15 million
2010 – Dallas Zoo: Giants of the Savanna - $30 million
2010 – El Paso Zoo: Passport to Africa - $33 million?
2010 – Fort Worth Zoo: MOLA (Reptile House) - $19 million
2010 – Happy Hollow Park & Zoo - $72 million (2008-2010 renovation)
2010 – Houston Zoo: African Forest - $42 million
2010 – Kansas City Zoo: Polar Bear Passage - $11 million
2010 – Los Angeles Zoo: Elephants of Asia - $42 million
2010 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Expedition Madagascar - $10 million
2010 – San Antonio Zoo: Africa Live! Phase Two - $10 million

2011 – Birmingham Zoo: Trails of Africa - $12.5 million
2011 – Cleveland Zoo: African Elephant Crossing - $25 million
2011 – Georgia Aquarium: Dolphin Tales - $110 million
2011 – Honolulu Zoo: Asian Elephant Exhibit - $12 million
2011 – Louisville Zoo: Glacier Run - $26 million
2011 – Oklahoma City Zoo: Elephant Exhibit - $13 million
2011 – Virginia Zoo: Asia: Trail of the Tiger - $18 million

2012 – Denver Zoo: Toyota Elephant Passage - $50 million
2012 – Fresno Chaffee Zoo: Sea Lion Cove - $10 million
2012 – Los Angeles Zoo: The LAIR (Reptile House) - $14 million
2012 – Reid Park Zoo: Expedition Tanzania - $10 million
2012 – Saint Louis Zoo: Sea Lion Sound - $18 million
2012 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: American Trail - $42 million
2012 – Toledo Zoo: Tembo Trail - $15 million
2012 – Utah’s Hogle Zoo: Rocky Shores - $18 million

2013 – Akron Zoo: Grizzly Ridge - $13 million
2013 – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Encounter Africa - $13 million
2013 – Como Park Zoo: Gorilla Forest - $11 million
2013 – Kansas City Zoo: Helzberg Penguin Plaza - $15 million
2013 – National Aquarium: Blacktip Reef - $13 million
2013 – New England Aquarium: Giant Ocean Tank renovation - $17 million
2013 – Philadelphia Zoo: KidZooU - $33 million
2013 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Elephant Trails - $56 million

2014 – Columbus Zoo: Heart of Africa - $30 million
2014 – Indianapolis Zoo: International Orangutan Center - $26 million
2014 – Jacksonville Zoo: Land of the Tiger - $10 million
2014 – Los Angeles Zoo: Rainforest of the Americas - $19 million
2014 – Maryland Zoo: Penguin Coast - $11 million
2014 – San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Tiger Trail - $20 million
2014 – Utah’s Hogle Zoo: African Savanna - $16 million

2015 – Brookfield Zoo: Hamill Family Wild Encounters - $24 million
2015 – Buffalo Zoo: Arctic Edge - $14 million
2015 – Fresno Chaffee Zoo: African Adventure - $56 million
2015 – Henry Vilas Zoo: Arctic Passage - $10 million
2015 – Houston Zoo: Gorillas of the African Forest - $28 million
2015 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Macaque Forest - $15 million
2015 – Oregon Zoo: Elephant Lands - $57 million
2015 – Saint Louis Zoo: Polar Bear Point - $16 million
2015 – Toledo Zoo: Aquarium (renovation) - $25 million
2015 – Woodland Park Zoo: Banyan Wilds - $21 million
2015 – Zoo Atlanta: Scaly Slimy Spectacular (Reptile House) - $18 million

2016 – Detroit Zoo: Polk Penguin Conservation Center - $30 million
2016 – Georgia Aquarium: California Sea Lion exhibit - $40 million
2016 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Walter Family Arctic Tundra (Polar Bear) - $15 million
2016 – Memphis Zoo: Zambezi River Hippo Camp - $22 million
2016 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: African Grasslands - $73 million
2016 – Riverbanks Zoo: Sea Lion Landing - $12 million
2016 – Sedgwick County Zoo: Elephants of the Zambezi River - $11 million
2016 – Zoo Miami: Florida: Mission Everglades + Entrance - $33 million

2017 – Cincinnati Zoo: Gorilla World renovation - $12 million
2017 – Dallas Zoo: Hippo Outpost - $14 million
2017 – Moody Gardens: Aquarium (renovation) - $37 million
2017 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Children’s Adventure Trails - $27 million
2017 – Saint Louis Zoo: Grizzly Ridge - $11 million
2017 – San Diego Zoo: Africa Rocks - $68 million
2017 – Texas State Aquarium: Caribbean Journey - $58 million
2017 – Tulsa Zoo: Lost Kingdom - $21 million

2018 – Audubon Zoo: Asia - $10 million
2018 – Fort Worth Zoo: African Savanna - $16 million
2018 – Nashville Zoo: Expedition Peru - $10 million
2018 – New York Aquarium: Ocean Wonders: Sharks! - $158 million
2018 – Oakland Zoo: California Trail - $75 million
2018 – Oklahoma City Zoo: Sanctuary Asia - $22 million
2018 – Point Defiance Zoo: Pacific Seas Aquarium - $52 million
2018 – Roger Williams Park Zoo: Faces of the Rainforest - $14 million
2018 – San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Walkabout Australia - $17 million
2018 – Zoo Knoxville: Asian Trek - $18 million

2019 – ABQ BioPark Zoo: Penguin Chill - $19 million
2019 – Aquarium of the Pacific: Pacific Visions expansion - $53 million
2019 – El Paso Zoo: Chihuahuan Desert - $16 million
2019 – Maryland Zoo: African Journey expansion - $20 million
2019 – Milwaukee County Zoo: Adventure Africa (elephants) - $17 million
2019 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Asian Highlands Phase I and II - $22 million
2019 – Toledo Zoo: ProMedica Museum of Natural History (renovation) - $27 million

2020 – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Water’s Edge: Africa - $10 million
2020 – Columbus Zoo: Adventure Cove - $40 million
2020 – Como Park Zoo: Como Harbor - $20 million
2020 – Fort Worth Zoo: Elephant Springs - $40 million?
2020 – Georgia Aquarium: Predators exhibit - $100 million?
2020 – Houston Zoo: Pantanal - $23 million?
2020 – International Crane Foundation (expansion) - $10 million
2020 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Kovler Lion House renovation - $35 million
2020 – Milwaukee County Zoo: Adventure Africa (hippos) - $12 million
2020 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Sea Lion Shores - $27 million
2020 – Zoo Atlanta: African Savanna (2019) + Savanna Hall + New Entry - $55 million

2021 – Saint Louis Zoo: Primate Canopy Trails - $11 million
2021 – San Diego Zoo: Children’s Zoo - $69 million
2021 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Experience Migration (Bird House) - $55 million
2021 – Zoo Knoxville: Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus - $18 million

So let me get this straight: Adventure Cove costs more than Heart of Africa and Polar Frontier, and also costs more than Teton Trek, Hippo Camp, Pantanal, Penguin Conservation Center, and Asian Highlands??

There is seriously something wrong with how Columbus Zoo spend their money on that joke of a complex.

They could easily use all of that money to build something like a South American-themed complex or to build an exhibit or two for an animal they don't have (such as hippos), but no, they decided to let it down to the drain by building a complex with bizarre concept and ideas which resulted in a complex with bizarre and almost unsuitable exhibits for their animal ambassador. For a major zoo that excels in theming, this is just embarrassing. This complex is easily the worst out of all top-notch complex in Columbus Zoo.

 

[birdsandbats]

So let me get this straight: Adventure Cove costs more than Heart of Africa and Polar Frontier, and also costs more than Teton Trek, Hippo Camp, Pantanal, Penguin Conservation Center, and Asian Highlands??

There is seriously something wrong with how Columbus Zoo spend their money on that joke of a complex.

They could easily use all of that money to build something like a South American-themed complex or to build an exhibit or two for an animal they don't have (such as hippos), but no, they decided to let it down to the drain by building a complex with bizarre concept and ideas which resulted in a complex with bizarre and almost unsuitable exhibits for their animal ambassador. For a major zoo that excels in theming, this is just embarrassing. This complex is easily the worst out of all top-notch complex in Columbus Zoo.

Yeah, I really wanted Columbus to get a South American area.

 

[Echobeast]

So let me get this straight: Adventure Cove costs more than Heart of Africa and Polar Frontier, and also costs more than Teton Trek, Hippo Camp, Pantanal, Penguin Conservation Center, and Asian Highlands??

There is seriously something wrong with how Columbus Zoo spend their money on that joke of a complex.

They could easily use all of that money to build something like a South American-themed complex or to build an exhibit or two for an animal they don't have (such as hippos), but no, they decided to let it down to the drain by building a complex with bizarre concept and ideas which resulted in a complex with bizarre and almost unsuitable exhibits for their animal ambassador. For a major zoo that excels in theming, this is just embarrassing. This complex is easily the worst out of all top-notch complex in Columbus Zoo.

Construction costs are also way more today than when those exhibits were built. Even counting inflation. It will be difficult to build any complex the size of Columbus’ other exhibits for under $40 mil today.

 

[arastis21]

Construction costs are also way more today than when those exhibits were built. Even counting inflation. It will be difficult to build any complex the size of Columbus’ other exhibits for under $40 mil today.

I echo this. For those complaining of the misuse of funds, the sea lion/seal exhibit had to take up at least $25-30 million of the $40 million spent. In addition to this, take in to account demo costs, the renovation of Stingray Bay, the addition of two new rides and facelift of the Jungle Jack Landing area, and the addition of a food truck restaurant. Could the Animal Encounter Village be better? Yes, but this was not the major focus of this expansion perhaps we will see improvements in the future. Many of the animals have to have more room in these exhibits than they had before backstage as well, as they are all ambassador animals.

 

[Emanuel Theodorus]

I echo this. For those complaining of the misuse of funds, the sea lion/seal exhibit had to take up at least $25-30 million of the $40 million spent. In addition to this, take in to account demo costs, the renovation of Stingray Bay, the addition of two new rides and facelift of the Jungle Jack Landing area, and the addition of a food truck restaurant. Could the Animal Encounter Village be better? Yes, but this was not the major focus of this expansion perhaps we will see improvements in the future. Many of the animals have to have more room in these exhibits than they had before backstage as well, as they are all ambassador animals.

In all honesty, they might as well use all of those 40 Million dollars just to build a perfect Pinniped exhibit like the ones in St. Louis and Detroit instead of building an embarrassment of a complex for a zoo as renowed as them. If they really want to build an exhibit for ambassador animals, well at least make them not look like the ugliest of the bunch. The theming could totally be better.

 

[Emanuel Theodorus]

Construction costs are also way more today than when those exhibits were built. Even counting inflation. It will be difficult to build any complex the size of Columbus’ other exhibits for under $40 mil today.

Right, I always forgot the inflations.
But still, 40 million dollars for this is just... ugh.

 

[TZDugong]

If they really want to build an exhibit for ambassador animals, well at least make them not look like the ugliest of the bunch. The theming could totally be better.

My problem with the exhibit is that the theming isn't terrible, just that the theme they chose (suburban America) makes little sense for the species they exhibit. The exhibits themselves also look (from photos), small and boring which doesn't help.

The Pinniped exhibit looks fine though, although some parts of the design are puzzling to me.

 

[Emanuel Theodorus]

My problem with the exhibit is that the theming isn't terrible, just that the theme they chose (suburban America) makes little sense for the species they exhibit. The exhibits themselves also look (from photos), small and boring which doesn't help.

The Pinniped exhibit looks fine though, although some parts of the design are puzzling to me.

That's the main problem I found in the Animal Encounter Vilage. Not only it looks ugly aesthetically wise, the exhibits basically teaches NOTHING about the animals. Like, what does a Kinkajou in Smoothie Truck or Bat-eared Fox in Shower Area teaches us about? If we compare it to Elephant Odyssey and International Orangutan Center, they may not look the most pleasing aesthetically wise, but at the very least they teach us something about the animals living there. This one doesn't look like any of the animals natural exhibit, nor do they look like they would stimulate the natural behaviors from the animals. I expected better from a zoo most known for excelling in animal exhibit theming.

 

[PossumRoach]

I believe that this statement is more suited for the Columbus Zoo thread but seeing how it's discussed here I might as well throw my two cents here. Personally I like the weird Animal Encounter village, and I don't mind unnatural settings as long as the safety of the animals isn't compromised..

However, knowing AZA's stance against private ownership of anything that is more extreme than a ferret, I do find this exhibit a bit contradictory showing animals in a home environment like pets.

 

[imaginarius]

Good lord, where does Omaha get the money for all of that? I understand that construction costs are much cheaper in Nebraska than in more populated, urban parts of the country, but that is still an absurd number of new exhibits with an absurd price tag. How many annual visitors do they get? I’m curious to see how well they’re doing financially.

 

[PossumRoach]

Good lord, where does Omaha get the money for all of that? I understand that construction costs are much cheaper in Nebraska than in more populated, urban parts of the country, but that is still an absurd number of new exhibits with an absurd price tag. How many annual visitors do they get? I’m curious to see how well they’re doing financially.

Doesn't Omaha zoo have a lot of donors?

 

[MGolka]

Yes, Omaha has a bunch of mega-donors in the city with the Scott and Grewcock families (akin to the Conrad Prebys family in San Diego), but also as we are home to many Fortune 500 companies, there are a lot of businesses that pride themselves on being a part of the zoo here.

Also as an aside, I work in the engineering business here in town and construction costs aren’t really that cheap around here. We are seeing a lot of high prices as there is a shortage of contractors in the city at the moment due to all the big players building things in the Omaha area these days. Facebook, Google, and Amazon are building massive projects here at the moment. Granted, compared to other parts of the country... it could be less due to cost of living sure, I am just saying it probably isn’t as big of a difference as one would think.

 

[imaginarius]

Yes, Omaha has a bunch of mega-donors in the city with the Scott and Grewcock families (akin to the Conrad Prebys family in San Diego), but also as we are home to many Fortune 500 companies, there are a lot of businesses that pride themselves on being a part of the zoo here.

Also as an aside, I work in the engineering business here in town and construction costs aren’t really that cheap around here. We are seeing a lot of high prices as there is a shortage of contractors in the city at the moment due to all the big players building things in the Omaha area these days. Facebook, Google, and Amazon are building massive projects here at the moment. Granted, compared to other parts of the country... it could be less due to cost of living sure, I am just saying it probably isn’t as big of a difference as one would think.

Oh I meant no offense, I’m sure Omaha is a lovely city and I’m pleased to hear it’s becoming a new tech hub. But in places like San Francisco and New York, a 500 square foot studio apartment now costs $3,600 per MONTH, and construction costs, like everything else, are commensurate with that. Literally no other places come even close to that level of exorbitancy, which is why the Bronx and SF zoos haven’t had a bunch of great, state-of-the-art exhibits in the past few decades. It’s just way too expensive to build anything new there. Omaha (or St. Louis, where I live) is dirt cheap by comparison!

 

[Coelacanth18]

How many annual visitors do they get?

Over 2 million visitors back in 2016 - a number that was likely growing up until the pandemic hit.

Literally no other places come even close to that level of exorbitancy, which is why the Bronx and SF zoos haven’t had a bunch of great, state-of-the-art exhibits in the past few decades. It’s just way too expensive to build anything new there.

That is one factor, but far from the only one. WCS (which operates Bronx) donates a heavy amount of its revenue to conservation as well as multiple other facilities, making cash tight; additionally, it's been pointed out by members on this site that Bronx is still coasting on state-of-the-art exhibits that it built many years or even decades ago. SF Zoo, from what I know of it, has been having financial problems for a long time - the main reason behind this seems to be lack of financial support and investment from the local government. Located in famous and tourist-heavy cities, these zoos may also have a harder time competing for visitors.

I would say that the zoo in Omaha has reached a point where at least a fair number of zoo Muggles (at least across the Midwest) are familiar with it; I've met several myself. Two million visitors is a number that implies a circle of influence far larger than Omaha itself - probably most of Iowa and Nebraska, and much of the other neighboring states. It's a bit like San Diego, but more regional - once you hit some level of critical mass, you become well-known in your own right and distinct from the city you're located in.

 

[imaginarius]

Over 2 million visitors back in 2016 - a number that was likely growing up until the pandemic hit.



That is one factor, but far from the only one. WCS (which operates Bronx) donates a heavy amount of its revenue to conservation as well as multiple other facilities, making cash tight; additionally, it's been pointed out by members on this site that Bronx is still coasting on state-of-the-art exhibits that it built many years or even decades ago. SF Zoo, from what I know of it, has been having financial problems for a long time - the main reason behind this seems to be lack of financial support and investment from the local government. Located in famous and tourist-heavy cities, these zoos may also have a harder time competing for visitors.

I would say that the zoo in Omaha has reached a point where at least a fair number of zoo Muggles (at least across the Midwest) are familiar with it; I've met several myself. Two million visitors is a number that implies a circle of influence far larger than Omaha itself - probably most of Iowa and Nebraska, and much of the other neighboring states. It's a bit like San Diego, but more regional - once you hit some level of critical mass, you become well-known in your own right and distinct from the city you're located in.

Zoo Muggles? Haha, never heard that term before. I love it, definitely using it from now on!

 

[snowleopard]

It has been 18 months since I began this thread and so I decided to update the last few years on the list. Big American zoos seem to have weathered the Covid pandemic and now there are more large-scale projects being announced. An interesting trend is that between 2021 to 2024 there will be expensive complexes for specifically Asian animals at Akron, ABQ BioPark, Fresno Chaffee, North Carolina, Birmingham and Reid Park, plus Fort Worth, Cincinnati and Tulsa will all improve their accommodation for Asian Elephants.

Remember, all of these 156 exhibits built since 2004 cost a minimum of $10 million, with the most expensive being the projects at the New York Aquarium ($158 million), Georgia Aquarium ($100 million) and Seattle Aquarium ($113+ million).

2004 – Denver Zoo: Predator Ridge - $20 million
2004 – Jacksonville Zoo: Range of the Jaguar - $15 million
2004 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Center for African Apes - $26 million
2004 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Hubbard Gorilla Valley - $14 million
2004 – Palm Beach Zoo: Tropics of the Americas - $30 million
2004 – Point Defiance Zoo: Asian Forest Sanctuary - $10 million

2005 – Cameron Park Zoo: Brazos River Country - $10 million
2005 – Indianapolis Zoo: Dolphin Adventure Dome - $10 million
2005 – National Aquarium: Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes - $75 million
2005 – Oakland Zoo: Valley Children’s Zoo - $16 million
2005 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Orangutan Forest - $12 million
2005 – Tennessee Aquarium: Ocean Journey building - $30 million

2006 – Memphis Zoo: Northwest Passage - $23 million
2006 – Philadelphia Zoo: Big Cat Falls - $20 million
2006 – Pittsburgh Zoo: Water’s Edge - $12 million
2006 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Asia Trail - $53 million

2007 – Indianapolis Zoo: Oceans - $10 million
2007 – Los Angeles Zoo: Campo Gorilla Reserve - $19 million
2007 – Oklahoma City Zoo: Oklahoma Trails - $10 million
2007 – Seattle Aquarium: Window on Washington Waters + pier replacement - $41 million

2008 – Bronx Zoo: Madagascar! - $62 million
2008 – Buffalo Zoo: Rainforest Falls - $16 million
2008 – Busch Gardens Tampa Bay: Jungala - $25 million?
2008 – Mesker Park Zoo: Amazonia - $13 million
2008 – Minnesota Zoo: Russia’s Grizzly Coast - $24 million
2008 – San Antonio Zoo: Africa Live! Phase 1 - $12 million
2008 – Zoo Miami: Amazon & Beyond - $50 million

2009 – Central Park Zoo: Snow Leopard Exhibit - $10 million
2009 – Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo: African Journey - $10 million
2009 – Memphis Zoo: Teton Trek - $16 million
2009 – New England Aquarium: Marine Mammal Center - $12 million
2009 – Peoria Zoo: Africa! - $27 million
2009 – Philadelphia Zoo: McNeil Avian Center (renovation) - $17 million
2009 – San Diego Zoo: Elephant Odyssey - $45 million
2009 – Shedd Aquarium: Oceanarium (renovation) - $50 million

2010 – Brookfield Zoo: Great Bear Wilderness - $27 million
2010 – Columbus Zoo: Polar Frontier - $20 million
2010 – Como Park Zoo: Polar Bear Odyssey - $15 million
2010 – Dallas Zoo: Giants of the Savanna - $30 million
2010 – El Paso Zoo: Passport to Africa - $33 million?
2010 – Fort Worth Zoo: MOLA (Reptile House) - $19 million
2010 – Happy Hollow Park & Zoo - $72 million (2008-2010 renovation)
2010 – Houston Zoo: African Forest - $42 million
2010 – Kansas City Zoo: Polar Bear Passage - $11 million
2010 – Los Angeles Zoo: Elephants of Asia - $42 million
2010 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Expedition Madagascar - $10 million
2010 – San Antonio Zoo: Africa Live! Phase Two - $10 million

2011 – Birmingham Zoo: Trails of Africa - $12.5 million
2011 – Cleveland Zoo: African Elephant Crossing - $25 million
2011 – Georgia Aquarium: Dolphin Tales - $110 million
2011 – Honolulu Zoo: Asian Elephant Exhibit - $12 million
2011 – Louisville Zoo: Glacier Run - $26 million
2011 – Oklahoma City Zoo: Elephant Exhibit - $13 million
2011 – Virginia Zoo: Asia: Trail of the Tiger - $18 million

2012 – Denver Zoo: Toyota Elephant Passage - $50 million
2012 – Fresno Chaffee Zoo: Sea Lion Cove - $10 million
2012 – Los Angeles Zoo: The LAIR (Reptile House) - $14 million
2012 – Reid Park Zoo: Expedition Tanzania - $10 million
2012 – Saint Louis Zoo: Sea Lion Sound - $18 million
2012 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: American Trail - $42 million
2012 – Toledo Zoo: Tembo Trail - $15 million
2012 – Utah’s Hogle Zoo: Rocky Shores - $18 million

2013 – Akron Zoo: Grizzly Ridge - $13 million
2013 – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Encounter Africa - $13 million
2013 – Como Park Zoo: Gorilla Forest - $11 million
2013 – Kansas City Zoo: Helzberg Penguin Plaza - $15 million
2013 – National Aquarium: Blacktip Reef - $13 million
2013 – New England Aquarium: Giant Ocean Tank renovation - $17 million
2013 – Philadelphia Zoo: KidZooU - $33 million
2013 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Elephant Trails - $56 million

2014 – Columbus Zoo: Heart of Africa - $30 million
2014 – Indianapolis Zoo: International Orangutan Center - $26 million
2014 – Jacksonville Zoo: Land of the Tiger - $10 million
2014 – Los Angeles Zoo: Rainforest of the Americas - $19 million
2014 – Maryland Zoo: Penguin Coast - $11 million
2014 – San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Tiger Trail - $20 million
2014 – Utah’s Hogle Zoo: African Savanna - $16 million

2015 – Brookfield Zoo: Hamill Family Wild Encounters - $24 million
2015 – Buffalo Zoo: Arctic Edge - $14 million
2015 – Fresno Chaffee Zoo: African Adventure - $56 million
2015 – Henry Vilas Zoo: Arctic Passage - $10 million
2015 – Houston Zoo: Gorillas of the African Forest - $28 million
2015 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Macaque Forest - $15 million
2015 – Oregon Zoo: Elephant Lands - $57 million
2015 – Saint Louis Zoo: Polar Bear Point - $16 million
2015 – Toledo Zoo: Aquarium (renovation) - $25 million
2015 – Woodland Park Zoo: Banyan Wilds - $21 million
2015 – Zoo Atlanta: Scaly Slimy Spectacular (Reptile House) - $18 million

2016 – Detroit Zoo: Polk Penguin Conservation Center - $30 million
2016 – Georgia Aquarium: California Sea Lion exhibit - $40 million
2016 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Walter Family Arctic Tundra (Polar Bear) - $15 million
2016 – Memphis Zoo: Zambezi River Hippo Camp - $22 million
2016 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: African Grasslands - $73 million
2016 – Riverbanks Zoo: Sea Lion Landing - $12 million
2016 – Sedgwick County Zoo: Elephants of the Zambezi River - $11 million
2016 – Zoo Miami: Florida: Mission Everglades + Entrance - $33 million

2017 – Cincinnati Zoo: Gorilla World renovation - $12 million
2017 – Dallas Zoo: Hippo Outpost - $14 million
2017 – Moody Gardens: Aquarium (renovation) - $37 million
2017 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Children’s Adventure Trails - $27 million
2017 – Saint Louis Zoo: Grizzly Ridge - $11 million
2017 – San Diego Zoo: Africa Rocks - $68 million
2017 – Texas State Aquarium: Caribbean Journey - $58 million
2017 – Tulsa Zoo: Lost Kingdom - $21 million

2018 – Audubon Zoo: Asia - $10 million
2018 – Fort Worth Zoo: African Savanna - $16 million
2018 – Nashville Zoo: Expedition Peru - $10 million
2018 – New York Aquarium: Ocean Wonders: Sharks! - $158 million
2018 – Oakland Zoo: California Trail - $75 million
2018 – Oklahoma City Zoo: Sanctuary Asia - $22 million
2018 – Point Defiance Zoo: Pacific Seas Aquarium - $52 million
2018 – Roger Williams Park Zoo: Faces of the Rainforest - $14 million
2018 – San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Walkabout Australia - $17 million
2018 – Zoo Knoxville: Asian Trek - $18 million

2019 – ABQ BioPark Zoo: Penguin Chill - $19 million
2019 – Aquarium of the Pacific: Pacific Visions expansion - $53 million
2019 – El Paso Zoo: Chihuahuan Desert - $16 million
2019 - Lincoln Children's Zoo (expansion) - $23 million
2019 – Maryland Zoo: African Journey expansion - $20 million
2019 – Milwaukee County Zoo: Adventure Africa (elephants) - $18 million
2019 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Asian Highlands Phases I and II - $22 million
2019 – Toledo Zoo: ProMedica Museum of Natural History (renovation) - $27 million

2020 – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Water’s Edge: Africa - $10 million
2020 – Cincinnati Zoo: Roo Valley - $13 million
2020 – Clearwater Marine Aquarium: Dolphin Exhibit & Expansion - $80 million
2020 – Columbus Zoo: Adventure Cove (sea lions) - $40 million
2020 – Georgia Aquarium: Predators of the Deep - $100 million
2020 – Houston Zoo: South America’s Pantanal - $30 million
2020 – Kansas City Zoo: Elephant Expedition (renovation) - $10 million
2020 – Milwaukee County Zoo: Adventure Africa (hippos) - $12 million
2020 – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo: Sea Lion Shores - $27 million
2020 – Zoo Atlanta: African Savanna (2019) + Savanna Hall + New Entry - $55 million

2021 – Akron Zoo: Wild Asia - $10 million
2021 – Como Park Zoo: Como Harbor - $21 million
2021 – Fort Worth Zoo: Elephant Springs - $32 million
2021 – International Crane Foundation (expansion) - $10 million
2021 – Lincoln Park Zoo: Kovler Lion House (renovation) - $35 million
2021 – Living Desert Zoo: Rhino Savanna - $17 million
2021 – Oregon Zoo: Polar Passage - $19 million
2021 – Saint Louis Zoo: Primate Canopy Trails - $13 million
2021 – San Diego Zoo: Children’s Zoo - $69 million
2021 – Zoo Knoxville: Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus - $18 million

2022 – ABQ BioPark – Asia - $28 million
2022 – Fresno Chaffee Zoo – Kingdoms of Asia - $38 million
2022 – Houston Zoo: Galapagos Islands/North Entry Plaza - $60 million
2022 – Milwaukee County Zoo: Adventure Africa (rhinos) - $10 million
2022 – Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Experience Migration (Bird House) - $55 million

2023 – Fort Worth Zoo: Hunters of Africa & Asian Predators - ??
2023 – Kansas City Zoo: Aquarium - $75 million
2023 – North Carolina Zoo: Asia - $46 million

2024 – Birmingham Zoo: Asian Passage - ??
2024 – Cincinnati Zoo: Elephant Trek - $50 million
2024 – Living Desert Zoo: Lion Savanna & Special Event Center - $20 million
2024 – Reid Park Zoo: Pathway to Asia - ??
2024 – Seattle Aquarium: Ocean Pavilion - $113+ million
2024 – Tulsa Zoo: Lost Kingdom Elephant Exhibit - $22 million

 

[PossumRoach]

@snowleopard I may have skipped it but Greensboro Science center had a $15.5 million expansion called revolution ridge which also adds new animals including cassowary, okapi, and pygmy hippo.

Then again the new veterinary hospital is a prt of the expansion as well.

Talkin' about a Revolution: Years in the making, Greensboro Science Center expansion opens

 

[snowleopard]

@snowleopard I may have skipped it but Greensboro Science center had a $15.5 million expansion called revolution ridge which also adds new animals including cassowary, okapi, and pygmy hippo.

Then again the new veterinary hospital is a prt of the expansion as well.

Talkin' about a Revolution: Years in the making, Greensboro Science Center expansion opens

That definitely deserves to make the list. Thanks! However, my access to editing my initial post seems to have evaporated after an hour.

 

[Julio C Castro]

@snowleopard would you consider the Hummingbird Habitat and Komodo Kingdom under this list? I know they’re 2 different exhibits totaling 10 million yet debuted at the same time with similar architecture I did try multiple times to ascertain from staff and a keeper how much each cost out of the entire budget but they didn’t know.

 

[snowleopard]

@snowleopard would you consider the Hummingbird Habitat and Komodo Kingdom under this list? I know they’re 2 different exhibits totaling 10 million yet debuted at the same time with similar architecture I did try multiple times to ascertain from staff and a keeper how much each cost out of the entire budget but they didn’t know.

Yes, I think that since the two exhibits were under construction at the same time, and then opened at the same time for a combined $10 million, then I would absolutely put them on the list. Thanks! I'm really looking forward to seeing photos of San Diego's new Children's Zoo, which apparently is going to cost around $70 million and open later this year.