Council Approves Lake Superior Zoo Funding

The council approves $200,000 subsidy for zoo and gives the zoo an extension to repay its line of credit.

The future of the Lake Superior Zoo depended upon a key decision by the City Council. The zoo asked the city for thousands of dollars to keep its doors open.

The Duluth City Council unanimously voted to support giving the zoo a $200,000 subsidy and an extension to repay its $300,000 line of credit.

The zoo pointed to the 2012 flood for most of their financial trouble where they lost a number of key exhibits.

The zoo wants to move forward with a new $15 million renovation which they say will revitalize the zoo and bring back some much needed attractions.

“It’s huge and I’m very appreciative of not only their enthusiastic support, but their reasoning for why they gave it. They’re definitely behind the zoo. They understand what we’ve been through and where we’re going,” said Lake Superior Zoo interim CEO Julene Boe.

Councilors agreed to this short term help, but want the zoo to move towards breaking even.

“The time is now to continue our support for the zoo that it will continue to be an anchor in the west end of Duluth, the west side of Duluth,” said Councilor Gary Anderson.

The money to help the zoo will come from the city’s tourism tax which was created to help out attractions like the zoo.

Zoo officials said that the money will tie them over for the rest of the year and that they will continue to work on ways to boost attendance next year.

This short term funding also allows the zoo to work on long term goals and gives them time to work with their new CEO. The new CEO begins in January.