Seminole gives zoo $100K for repairs and renovations

Seminole County commissioners this week agreed to give the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens an additional $100,000 in tourist development tax money to help pay for ongoing improvements at the attraction.

The funding comes a month after commissioners approved giving the zoo $225,000 for marketing and advertising.

The zoo originally sought $500,000 in tourist tax money last July from Seminole. But Seminole’s tourist development council, an advisory board, recommended giving $325,000. County commissioners reduced that recommendation by $100,000, which they approved Tuesday.

Commissioners told zoo officials last month they wanted to see a more detailed capital improvement plan for the facility before handing over additional funds. After zoo officials complied with the request, county commissioners agreed to the extra funding. Charles Davis, president of the zoo’s board of directors, said he was pleased with the additional funding, pointing out that the 40-year-old park off U.S. Highway 17-92 in Sanford needs a few upgrades.

The zoo has completed rebuilding about 60 percent of its boardwalks, including those around the new bear exhibit that opened this year. The zoo also is upgrading several of its structures in its animal habitat exhibits.

The new food concession upgrades are part of an effort to prepare the zoo for a new Sonny’s BBQ restaurant, scheduled to open at the zoo in January. The new restaurant will include chairs and tables in outdoor and indoor seating areas.

The county’s tourist development tax is a 5-percent charge on hotel rooms and rentals of six months or less. The tax is in addition to the 7-percent sales tax assessed in Seminole. Revenues are used to advertise and promote tourism in the county.

The zoo is considered one of Seminole’s major tourist attractions. To fund its $4.2 million annual budget, the nonprofit zoo relies on about $2 million in annual attendance revenues, along with grants, donations and fundraisers.