New San Antonio Zoo Event Center Allows Guests to Party with Primates

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Zoo is set to welcome gorillas back to its facility in the coming years as part of its newly planned activity center. The zoo unveiled its plans for a state-of-the-art event center, which will be the latest addition to its master plan expansion, alongside a new main entrance and a gorilla habitat. The center is expected to open in early 2025, while the new entrance will open this November.

The event center will be located near the future Congo Falls gorilla habitat, giving visitors the chance to immerse themselves in an environment where they can party with primates at a gala, dinner, wedding, or other special events. Zoo officials said the facility will boast a unique location, situated on top of the quarry walls, offering picturesque views of the entire African savannah habitat, as well as unobstructed views of downtown San Antonio’s skyline in the distance.

According to the zoo’s press release, the rendered tower that will partially house the event center is the world’s first feature that will allow gorillas to climb out of the open-air gorilla habitat and actually attend an event at the clifftop event center. The center is expected to accommodate around 500 guests, with the possibility of expansion by opening outer window walls.

Tim Morrow, president, and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, expressed his satisfaction with the new development, citing the facility as perfect for events accommodating large groups of animals indoors or in one place. This, in turn, allows the zoo to expand its event business, with proceeds from such events expected to help support their conservation and educational efforts.

The event center is expected to offer visitors direct access from Hildebrand Avenue. According to a press release, the satellite building will have administrative offices, a bridal suite, and even a boardroom that can be rented out for small meetings. Zoo officials stated that the event center is 100% funded by donors, while gorilla entry and habitat is funded by 2022 voter-approved bonds, Midtown TIRZ funds, and donations to its capital campaign, Generation Zoo. The zoo itself provides $47 million of the total projected value for a total cost of $67 million, primarily through campaign donations.

Julie Gross, director of development for the San Antonio Zoo, expressed her gratitude towards the Generation Zoo fundraising campaign, explaining that some of the zoo’s sponsors had made the biggest and most transformative donations in the facility’s 109-year history. In an official statement, Morrow expressed his enthusiasm for the project and the event center’s potential to become a world-renowned facility, saying, “There will be no other event center like this in the world. Being atop the walls of a historic quarry, the views, interactions with gorillas, and more symbolize our commitment to being known for quality, creativity, innovation, and world-class design in everything we do.”

The San Antonio Zoo’s new event center, gorilla habitat, and main entrance serve as part of the organization’s continued efforts to provide a safe, sustainable, and world-class environment for its visitors and wildlife residents alike.

Copyright 2023 by KSAT – All rights reserved. Content Source.

Content and Photo credit go to Texas Standard

Read the full article on Texas Standard News