Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Los Angeles is contemplating a $650-million makeover for its zoo in time for the 2028 Olympics

LAT:

“We definitely had the Olympics in mind when we were developing this plan,” said [the] zoo director and chief executive. “What are we going to do to attract international travelers to the zoo as a place they should not miss?”

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The zoo’s ambitious “20-year Vision Plan” calls for exhibit upgrades and flashy new tourist attractions, including a 60-foot-deep canyon offering rock climbs and a hilltop Yosemite lodge-style California Center with sweeping views of a 25,000-square-foot vineyard.

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“The zoo’s plan is another attempt to squeeze more money out of Griffith Park, a designated L.A. Cultural-Historic Monument,” said ... a board member of the Griffith J. Griffith Charitable Trust. “There is no need for another amusement park in L.A. But there is dire need for preserving its increasing rare native ecosystems.”