After recently celebrating its 46th birthday, the Baton Rouge Zoo plans to combat a cliche mid-life crisis by rejuvenating itself to meet local demand. In the next eight to 10 months, East Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission leaders expect the capital city gem to undergo a facelift, hopefully attracting more visitors.
Spearheading the project, zoo director Phil Frost foresees a future for the local recreational area complete with a sky rise, boat rides and more interactive exhibits. Though the Baton Rouge Zoo ranks among the top 10 percent in the nation, Frost said, like any business, they are always looking for ways to improve.
A year and a half’s worth of studies has left many wondering whether the zoo will relocate or remain in its Thomas Road location after extensive renovations.
“That’s the $110 million question,” Frost said.
With 250,000 visitors each year, the zoo primarily caters to East Baton Rouge Parish residents. However, Frost said last year it welcomed visitors from all 50 states.
If the zoo stays where it is, Frost said internal studies show a 50 percent increase in the yearly number of visitors, totaling about 375,000 people. If the zoo switches its address, he said the annual patron count is projected to double to approximately 500,000.
Additionally, Frost said the demolition and reconstruction process necessary to revamp the current location would take about 15 years to complete, compared to the five years expected to build a brand new zoo from scratch.
He said the cost for both alternatives would come out to the same price — $110 million, to be obtained from a combination of public and private funding. Either way, the zoo’s director of marketing and development Kaki Heiligenthal said the end result will either be “a brand new zoo right where [it is] or a brand new zoo somewhere else.”
“From a business standpoint, it’s not a really difficult decision to make,” Frost said.
Despite the seemingly transparent solution, the zoo director said politics muddy the waters. As part of BREC, the next step the zoo takes must serve the best interest of its EBR constituents.
While people may disagree on geography, Frost said BREC’s main concern is upgrading the facility. Because visitors only spend one-third of their time observing the animals, he said the zoo is seeking out guest opinion on the overall experience.
Georgia native and mass communication freshman Sarah Tadros said she would like to see more interactive exhibits from the Baton Rouge Zoo, like the Atlanta zoo’s stingray petting area.
Though mass communication freshman Lindsey Davis has never been to the Baton Rouge Zoo, she said she would like to see them advertise more in Facebook and Twitter by posting “cute animal videos.”
“Everyone hears about the New Orleans zoo and no one hears about the Baton Rouge one,” Davis said.
With greater knowledge of quality animal care, more ideas for interactive exhibits and better access to top-notch amenities, Frost said he believes the zoo is well-equipped to master an all-inclusive guest experience.
Frost said one of the questions he finds himself answering is why Baton Rouge should have a world-class zoo if New Orleans already boasts one just an hour away.
“Why have LSU when everybody can go to Tulane?” he said. “We think Baton Rouge is a great town, and it should have a great zoo.”