Omaha creates a new agreement with the Henry Doorly Zoo on May 11th, 2010. Under a ten-year agreement, the city would give less amount of money to the zoo for the next two years, before increasing yearly payments in the following years. Whether the main attraction was a baby aardvark or gorilla, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors in 2009.
Mayor Jim Suttle said that the zoo is the number one tourist destination in their city and they need to continue to support the zoo like what they are doing since 1964. The new agreement layouts the monetary support for the Henry Doorly Zoo over the next ten years. Omaha will contribute $1.25 million dollars in 2011 and $1.35 million dollars in 2012. Both amounts are smaller than this year's payment of $1.55 million dollars and city officials say that short-term savings will help Omaha managed a $21 million dollars budget deficit next year.
By 2020, the yearly contribution will grow to $2.25 million dollars. Suttle said that he thinks that Omaha has been slow over the last few years when it comes to helping the zoo and other important cultural spots in the city. He added that if you want to be considered the city of the 21st century, then you need to properly invest what your city offering to tourists.
The funds will come from revenue the city receives from its keno offering and will only account for about five percent of the zoo's 2011 budget, but leaders say that without the keno money, admission fees at the zoo might have to be increase, which will make it less appealing and affordable to tourists.
Zoo Director Dennis Pate said that if you will examine all the zoos in the Midwest and look at their average entrance fee, theirs is below median since they receive funding from the city that helps them to keep it at that level. The Omaha City Council still has to give its approval to the new contract.
It also features a provision that would decrease payments to the zoo if the city departments are face with considerable budget cuts. Mayor Suttle said that he is also working with Douglas County officials to modify the way both groups allocate their earnings from keno.
Author: Louis Blechdom
[03-08]
