Seminole County commissioners approve funds for Central Florida Zoo
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. โ Seminole County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved thousands of dollars in tourist development tax money for funding and maintenance of the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens. | Shaqโs mansion discounted by $3M]The attraction has been struggling ever since the pandemic began, which led to low attendance and a loss in revenue. During the summer, zoo officials applied for Emergency Operating Funds and applied for an additional $300,000 to recover the money they lost during the shutdown. Zoo CEO Dino Ferri says the facility started its There Is No Zoo Without You fundraising campaign to help keep operations afloat. Our efforts today will ensure the Zoo will be enjoyed by all for years to come," he said in a news release.
Theres no zoo without you; Central Florida Zoo hopes animal lovers return soon
Zoo CEO Dino Ferri said the zoo has likely lost out on millions of dollars in revenue from cancelled events. Despite having a good turnout over Labor Day weekend, the impact of COVID-19 continues to loom over the zoo. Currently, the zoo can only operate at 50% capacity -- thats about one thousand people inside the park at one time. To increase traction to the zoo, the campaign Theres No Zoo Without You was launched. As Central Florida deals with the effects of the pandemic, cities like Sanford are coming up with different ways to get business back on track.
Theres no zoo without you: Central Florida Zoo works to combat $1.5M in financial losses due to COVID-19
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Garden launched a sustainability campaign Tuesday aimed at recovering from an economic blow to its revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic. The attraction said its suffered a loss of $1.5 million in its two-month closure meant to help stop the spread of COVID-19. In its public plea for support, the zoo is calling upon the community to help it survive the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. The Central Florida Zoo reports March and April as historically the busiest months for attendance. Though it reopened to the public in May, zoo officials say it needs to bridge the gap in its financial losses.
Heres what you can expect as the Central Florida Zoo enters phase 2 of reopening
SANFORD, Fla. The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens announced it would be entering phase two of its reopening process alongside most of the state under Gov. The zoo initially closed March 14 as much of Central Florida scrambled to protect the health of guests at local attractions as COVID-19 quickly spread through the region. The zoo then entered its phase one of reopening on May 13. Based on current state guidelines, the zoos limited indoor venues will begin opening this week with capacity limits of 50% being monitored. Officials said the zoo will continue to offer a special hour on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. where vulnerable guests may visit the park with additional accommodations.