Minnesota Zoo Minnesota Zoo News 2020

It seems like the special legislative session failed to pass any police reform or any bonding bill. The omnibus environmental bill, HF 28, was still in committee when the special session ended. Another bill in the state house also looked to give that funding, HF 111. It seems like house members were tossed the funding into multiple bills hoping at least one bill would make it to the senate. It doesn't seem like either of these bills passed the house, and who knows if the senate would have passed them. Who knows whether Walz will call another special session and relinquishes the emergency powers he has as a compromise. It's a disappointing weekend as both a Minnesotan and a Minnesota Zoo fan.


Special session ends without deal on policing, bonding

HF 28
HF 28 Status in the House for the 91st Legislature, 2020 1st Special Session (2019 - 2020)

HF 111
HF 111 Status in the House for the 91st Legislature, 2020 1st Special Session (2019 - 2020)
 
Sotolo said:
It seems like the special legislative session failed to pass any police reform or any bonding bill. The omnibus environmental bill, HF 28, was still in committee when the special session ended. Another bill in the state house also looked to give that funding, HF 111. It seems like house members were tossed the funding into multiple bills hoping at least one bill would make it to the senate. It doesn't seem like either of these bills passed the house, and who knows if the senate would have passed them. Who knows whether Walz will call another special session and relinquishes the emergency powers he has as a compromise. It's a disappointing weekend as both a Minnesotan and a Minnesota Zoo fan.


Special session ends without deal on policing, bonding

HF 28
HF 28 Status in the House for the 91st Legislature, 2020 1st Special Session (2019 - 2020)

HF 111
HF 111 Status in the House for the 91st Legislature, 2020 1st Special Session (2019 - 2020)
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So what does this mean for the zoo?
 
birdsandbats said:
So what does this mean for the zoo?
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It probably means that the Minnesota Zoo is not going to receive any help from the state soon unless another special session is called. (Or some legislation passed under our noses that the news has not picked up.) The next time either chamber of the legislature is scheduled to be in session is January 2021. Since John Frawley stated that the zoo would expend all of its resources by the end of June earlier this week, the zoo would not make it to January. However, given COVID-19 and everyone needing help, there may be another special session, but the zoo may not survive until that special session. Perhaps the money made from sales for the drive through zoo may delay the closure by several weeks so that they have another shot in a special session.

At this point, it's looking pretty bad to me.
 
birdsandbats said:
So what does this mean for the zoo?
Click to expand...
It will mean the inevitable and that the zoo will go under as without sufficient cash in the bank no operation can survive having no cash flow to spend and with no support from State or Federal forthcoming the zoo will go into administration before long.

Imagine all the negative fall out and recriminations that will produce in the end discourse. Does it really need to be so before people start to realise what is really happening with their public space institutions in general?!? I can only look on in total disbelief and shock at the prospect of such a Pyrrhic victory for short term keeping tabs on spending and long term damage to public operations.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
How far is $6M going to go considering they're completely out of money...? It's better than nothing obviously, but they're far from saved imo.

~Thylo
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It's what they need to reopen correct?

Hopefully the animals didnt suffer too much.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
How far is $6M going to go considering they're completely out of money...? It's better than nothing obviously, but they're far from saved imo.
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They are saved from imminent closure, which is why @birdsandbats said they were saved "for now." $6M will cover about 40% of their lost revenue since closing in March, so presumably it will buy them some time to reopen, find alternative revenue streams, or convince the state government to cover more of the losses.

In short: they are not closing today - which is great news - but they are not out of the woods yet.
 
Dhole dude said:
The zoo will be opening to the public next week, most likely to restrictions and limited capacity. Let’s hope it does well
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It seems like the restrictions are pretty small in terms of closed off areas. The only exhibit that's out of the loop are the musk ox and maybe penguins (the map is not quite clear on it). Live programming is cancelled and the touch tank and similar experiences are restricted to viewing only. Some small structures like the dhole yurt will be closed. The dhole yurt closure is a shame given how cool it is to me, but it's a small price to pay to be able to get back to the zoo.

Overall, this looks like a pretty complete opening. You can access most of the indoor exhibits which is quite surprising to me.

There are a few interesting tidbits I noticed. They mention that they've made changes to the big cat and ape enclosures for their health. Second, on their map, there seems to be a path at the end of Russia's Grizzly Coast that goes back to the Central Plaza. That path has not been open to guests before.

Plan a Visit - Minnesota Zoo
 
Sotolo said:
It seems like the restrictions are pretty small in terms of closed off areas. The only exhibit that's out of the loop are the musk ox and maybe penguins (the map is not quite clear on it). Live programming is cancelled and the touch tank and similar experiences are restricted to viewing only. Some small structures like the dhole yurt will be closed. The dhole yurt closure is a shame given how cool it is to me, but it's a small price to pay to be able to get back to the zoo.

Overall, this looks like a pretty complete opening. You can access most of the indoor exhibits which is quite surprising to me.

There are a few interesting tidbits I noticed. They mention that they've made changes to the big cat and ape enclosures for their health. Second, on their map, there seems to be a path at the end of Russia's Grizzly Coast that goes back to the Central Plaza. That path has not been open to guests before.

Plan a Visit - Minnesota Zoo
Click to expand...
Tiger lair was recently renovated and they might have renovated the gibbon exhibit a little bit but that seems like all
 
There is also a service path behind Russia’s grizzly coast that I have gone down before. they open it up from time to time.
 
Dhole dude said:
This happened a while back but it hasn’t been mentioned so I’ll say it now, 7 months ago the zoo received demoiselle cranes. I’m guessing that there either mixed with the tapirs or in the walk through aviary.
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If I remember correctly from my visit back in early March/February they are in with the Rapid.
 
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