Lions and tigers and payers: $488M coming over 5 years

The Denver Zoo is already known as a place to spot animals that wouldn’t normally grace Mile High streets. But there’s more to it than that, zoo officials insisted Tuesday. It’s also a major economic player.

In the next five years, direct and indirect benefits from operations and construction activity at the zoo are expected to add a total of $488 million to the city and county of Denver, according to an economic benefits study by Littletonbased Development Research Partners that was discussed during the inaugural State of the Zoo luncheon Tuesday.

“The zoo is more than just animals,” Interim CEO Denny O’Malley said. “It’s much more than just animals.”

The zoo was the top visitor destination in 2016, followed by Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater and the Denver Art Museum, according to the report. More than 2 million people visited the zoo last year, and 8.7 percent of those came from out of state.

The zoo’s annual operations directly added $51.9 million to the city and county of Denver in 2016, according to the report. The number reached $94.7 million when including indirect and induced impact. The zoo directly employed 400 full- and regular parttime staff and close to 250 seasonal, temporary and variable part-time workers and interns. Private concessions also employed 380 workers on average.

The zoo’s operating expenditures were about $41.4 million last year. Admissions brought in the most money last year, making up 24 percent of the zoo’s revenue. That was followed by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, which made up 21 percent of the zoo’s revenue, and memberships, which made up 14 percent.

The luncheon also served as a campaign stop for the Go Bond 2017. O’Malley, the zoo’s board chair, Sherri Koelbel and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock touted the importance of the bond for the zoo, other cultural institutions and the city at large.

The total estimated bond package rounds to $940 million, $20 million of which would go to the zoo for a new animal hospital and updated exhibits. The zoo kicked in $50,000 to the bond campaign. As of last month, nonprofit groups, developers, city contractors and others had already donated nearly $500,000.

The bond goes to voters in November. Denver approved a similar $550 million infrastructure bond and tax increase in 2007, although voters nearly killed the $70 million portion that raised revenue to expand cultural facilities.