| |
| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #2741 |
| Business Redevelopment at Main Entrance to Lowry Park Zoo |
| |
| Requester: |
C. Lex Salisbury, President/CEO |
Organization: |
Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa, Inc. |
| |
| Project Title: |
Business Redevelopment at Main Entrance to Lowry Park Zoo |
Date Submitted |
1/13/2006 9:20:14 AM |
| |
| Sponsors: |
Crist |
| |
| Statewide Interest: |
| The purpose of this CBIR is to improve the business capacity of Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, the top-attended nonprofit attraction in Florida, to enable Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo to operate as a model of self-sufficiency as a nonprofit organization in the State of Florida. Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is the number one family-friendly zoo in the U.S. (Child Magazine) and recognized by the State of Florida as a center for wildlife conservation and biodiversity (HB 457). |
| |
| Recipient: |
Lowry Park Zoological Society of Tampa, Inc. |
|
Contact: |
Craig Pugh, Deputy Director |
|
| |
1101 W. Sligh Avenue |
|
Contact Phone: |
(813) 244-0141 |
|
| |
Tampa 33604 |
|
Contact email: |
craig.pugh@lowryparkzoo.com |
| |
| Counties: |
Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, {Statewide} |
| |
| Gov't Entity: |
|
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
| |
| Project Description: |
| Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's main entrance is in vital need of renovation to help improve capacity to do business and accommodate continuing growth in attendance (projected from 880,000 now to more than 1,000,000 annual visitors) as major capital developments are completed. Project totals $3.25 million and includes remodeling of former McDonald's walk-up food service to become Lowry Park Zoo owned and operated; doubling of current 2,000 square ft. gift shop with addition; remodeling main zoo visitor and security entrance with new turnstiles; developing a new arrival plaza for school buses, and queues for school groups; and enclosing and installing a climate-controlled system for the adjacent 10,000 sq. ft. Saunders Pavilion for year-round use and to increase earned revenue. |
| |
| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
| |
| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| Annual food sales at the renovated front entrance are expected to increase from current $600,000 to $1,000,000. A new design for the main entrance gift shop will increase annual revenue from the gift shop by 25%. Remodeled main zoo visitor entrance will provide a more welcoming and secure atmosphere for visitors. It is estimated that Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo currently loses as much as $400,000 a year in earned revenue by not having a covered, climate-controlled site that can accommodate 400 or more seated guests year-round which will be accomplished by retro-fitting the current events pavilion. |
| |
| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$1,000,000 |
| |
| Total cost of the project: |
$3,250,000 |
| |
| Request has been made to fund: |
Construction |
| |
| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local, Private, Federal |
| |
Cash Amount |
$2,500,000 |
|
In-kind Amount |
$30,000 |
| |
| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
|
No |
| |
| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
|
No |
| |
| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
|
No |
| |
| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
| |
| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
| |
Documentation: |
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's Strategic Plan economic review by Economics Research Associates |
| |
| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
|
Yes |
| |
Hearing Body: |
Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation |
| |
Hearing Meeting Date: |
01/07/2006 |
| |
| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
|
No |
