North
Alabama Zoo
"Let's Get a Zoo!"
© 2024 by North Alabama Zoological Society
Zoo Funding Awareness Initiative
Let's Get a Zoo!
Welcome to the Zoo Funding Awareness Initiative! This effort is dedicated to educating and engaging the community about the importance of public support for the North Alabama Zoo. By joining together, we can make this world-class destination a reality, bringing educational opportunities, tourism, and economic growth to our region. Learn how you can get involved and help us take the next step toward building a brighter future for North Alabama.
Strategic Community Investments
Cities, counties, and communities often spend public money to partner with private companies or nonprofits to build things like sports stadiums, museums, theme parks, parks, and music venues. These investments help grow the economy, improve life for people living there, and make the area more appealing to businesses and tourists.
You might be thinking, "That works for big cities, but what about modest, local governments that often don’t have enough money? They’re stuck constantly patching roads and fixing things instead of making major improvements." While raising taxes might cover some of the needed improvements, it won’t be enough to address all of them or solve the long-term financial issues. Here’s the unexpected idea: instead of just raising taxes higher and higher to fix roads, what if the local government invested in something that brought in more money long-term? Building something like a zoo or a museum might not seem like the obvious solution to road repair, but here's why it works: these amenities bring in tourists who spend money at local businesses. That extra money can be used not just for fixing roads, but for improving the entire town.
Investing in things that bring in outside money can eventually reduce the cost for everyone. These amenities attract tourists who spend money on tickets, food, hotels, and shopping, which a portion of those moneys go to the the local government. Over time, this extra income can be used to pay for things like fixing roads and making other improvements, so local residents don’t have to pay as much for those things. This provides steady funding for better improvements and helps the community thrive with a better quality of life for all.
Should the Public Pay for a Zoo?
Should public funds support zoos? It’s a valid question, and one that has come up recently in Columbia, SC, with the Riverbanks Zoo. In 2023, the zoo proposed an $80 million bond for its expansion project, "Bridge to the Wild." The mayor opposed the bond, saying taxpayers were already too burdened. But when the vote went to the public, the public saw things differently than their elected leader and passed the bond with strong public support. The result: more paying tourists, 500 more jobs, and a boost to the local economy by an additional $30 million annually!
Here’s where it gets even more striking: During the Great Recession of 2008, when millions of Americans were losing jobs and homes, 80% of the people still believed zoos were worth supporting with government funding and their tax dollars. This isn’t because zoos are just nice to have; it’s because they offer so much more. Zoos educate, conserve endangered species, create jobs, and boost local economies by attracting tourists.
The public understands that zoos are not just recreational spaces; they are vital community assets that pay back far more than they take. When faced with tough decisions, people consistently see zoos as an investment in the future—one where the cost is justified.
-
STEM/STEAM Education: Zoos provide one-of-a-kind, hands-on educational experiences that enhance scientific literacy and foster appreciation for the natural wonders of the world among people of all ages.
-
Conservation Efforts: They play a critical role in conserving endangered species through breeding programs and research, actively contributing to local and global efforts to protect wildlife and maintain genetic diversity.
-
Enhanced Quality-of-Life and Community Pride: Zoos enrich community culture by offering family-friendly recreational spaces, hosting public events, and encouraging volunteerism, thereby enhancing quality of life and strengthening community bonds.
-
Financial Return on Investment: By attracting tourists and creating jobs, zoos stimulate the local economy, support surrounding businesses, and generate increased tax revenues that can be reinvested in public services and infrastructure. Typically, for every $1 brought into a zoo, that equates to $2-$5 being spent out in the community.
-
Health & Well-being: Zoo visitors enjoy recreational physical activity, mental relaxation, and emotional well-being, promoting both health and healing.
-
Equitable Access: Publicly funded zoos ensure equitable access to educational and recreational resources for all socio-economic groups, promote transparency, and allow for community representation in their management.
Public funding for zoos is justified due to the significant educational, conservation, cultural, economic, financial, and social benefits they provide. Zoos serve as vital institutions that contribute to the public good in ways that extend beyond the capabilities of other community investments.
Zoo Funding Initative
Scroll through the slides to learn more about the Zoo Funding Initiative and what it means to get the zoo on the ballot