San Antonio Zoo had generated a $283 million economic impact for the local economy, according to an annual report shared with the Current.
According to the report by Impact DataSource LLC, the San Antonio Zoo welcomed more than 1 million visitors last year. Those visitors — more than a quarter of whom were from out of town — supported 957 local jobs, contributed nearly $70 million in hotel nights and $20.5 million in taxable sales.
“As a mission-based institution, San Antonio Zoo provides a world-class amenity for our community, educational programming and supports wildlife conservation initiatives locally and around the world,” zoo CEO Tim Morrow said in a statement. “In addition to all the zoo provides directly for our community, it also has an incredible economic impact, helping support the financial need for services in our city and country.”
The report also stated that the San Antonio wildlife park is fiscally healthy due to the bulk of its overall revenue coming from admissions and ticket sales. Its largest expenditures were, perhaps unsurprisingly, operations and animal care.
Last year was a particularly exciting one for the zoo due to the opening of the Congo Falls gorilla exhibit, the Ralston event center and the launch of the facility’s Conserfari tours.
The report comes as a battle brews at City Hall over whether local nonprofits that charge admission should be eligible for public subsidies. As the city grapples with a looming $156 million budget deficit, Mayor Gina Ortiz has suggested that she’s ready to yank those subsidies to avoid making cuts elsewhere.
However, Morrow told the Current that the zoo isn’t part of that conversation since it doesn’t take any subsidies from the city.
“We do not receive any city funding from the city’s general fund, making us one of the few large zoos in the country that don’t,” Morrow said.
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