GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — West Michigan's largest zoo is setting course on an ambitious plan to make sweeping changes to its property. Tuesday we got our first look at an updated master plan that covers the next ten years.
John Ball Zoo wants to expand existing exhibits, create new ones, and build one of the world's largest domed habitat space.
The updated master plan is being presented this week to Kent County residents in a series of feedback meetings. The first was Tuesday afternoon. Two more are scheduled for Wednesday and a final one on Thursday.
The plan aims to not only help guests better enjoy the zoo, but also help animals across the world, says CEO Peter D'Arienzo.
"The master plan is going to create this backdrop that people can have a great time, families can come out, connect with loved ones, learn about the natural environment, but we do that in order to save animals from extinction, and we can't do that without the community."
The biggest aspiration is a new tropical forest exhibit that would feature plants and animals from South America. To safely house them in the climate of West Michigan, the zoo would build the largest indoor habitat space at an American zoo.
Set to be home to birds, reptiles, fish, mammals, and amphibians, the domed area would allow the zoo to stay open during the winter months. Plans call for a multi-level walkway, a full-service restaurant, and a 30-foot waterfall.
"[The dome] will have jaguars, capybaras, some new world primates," said D'Arienzo. "There will be a river that you cross on a barge, just to give an idea, the scale in that river will be piranhas as well, and so from aquad species, terrestrial birds. Just really exciting, that habitat alone will take at least an hour and a half to go through, and that will create the foundation for a winter Zoo."
The dome would sit where the current parking lot off Fulton Street is today.
Other plans include expanding the existing African area to house giraffes. The long-necked mammals would need a 10,000-square-foot barn to live in, but guest would have the opportunity to feed the giraffes.
"That will bring at least five giraffes," said D’Arienzo. "We'll also be able to do a giraffe feeding. There will be indoor feeding, outdoor feeding, a large barn for the winter."
The main concessions area near monkey island would be totally reworked. A new addition there would return sea lions to John Ball Zoo. A new habitat would allow guests to walk through underwater tunnels to watch the sea lions as they swim.
An amphitheater space would host sea lion demonstrations.
A new event center would be built alongside the current pond in John Ball Park. Planned for 400 people, it would be available to rent for private events.
John Ball Zoo also wants to redesign the main entrance, saying the current buildings are maxed out on capacity. Assuming the continued growth of guests visiting the zoo, the nonprofit wants to be able to handle more than a million guests each year.
2024 has been the busiest year ever for John Ball Zoo, with more than 800,000 people passing through the gates so far.
"More than $110 million of new economic activity occurred in Kent County because of the zoo," said D'Arienzo. "And our activities also generate more than $7 million of incremental state and local taxes, and that's for elected officials decide how they want to invest that. But that's 7 million every year."
The zoo is also setting sights on more paved parking lots. A potential parking deck is also in the plans, if needed.
"We get attendance from all 50 states, all 83 counties," said D'Arienzo. "So the parking plan is a combination in the master plan of expanded parking to the east, off site parking, which we haven't identified a location, it needs to be nearby, otherwise people won't use it, and a parking garage."
The familiar flamingo exhibit at the front of the park would also receive some upgrades.
John Ball Zoo also wants to replace the existing gift shop and conversation education center with bigger spaces.
All of the proposed projects are estimated to cost at least $300 million, before inflation.
The first phase of work is set to begin in 2025 with the African expansion and paving of a new parking lot. Those projects are projected to wrap up in early 2027.
The new entry plaza would debut in 2028. An updated flamingo habitat would open in 2030.
The event center should be ready in 2031, and the new education center would open its doors in 2032.
A new central plaza, including the sea lion exhibit, could be ready in 2035.
The South American forest dome isn't planned to open until 2037.
Community Meetings
To get feedback on the master plan, John Ball Zoo is hosting four meetings in Mid-November where staff will present the plan, answer questions, and provide renderings of what the spaces could look like.
The meetings will be:
- Tuesday, November 19 from Noon to 2 p.m. at the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation in the Madison Ballroom, 1530 Madison Ave SE, Grand Rapids
- Wednesday, November 20 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the North Kent County Campus, 4191 17 Mile Rd NE, Cedar Springs
- Wednesday, November 20 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at John Ball Zoo's Savannah Ballroom, 1300 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids
- Thursday, November 21 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gaines Township Office, 8555 Kalamazoo Ave SE, Caledonia
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