Detroit Zoo Scraps $30M Nature Center Plan Amid Pandemic Financial Strains, Focuses on Partnerships
The Detroit Zoo said the Royal Oak facility’s financial position was of primary concern when zoo management officials abandoned plans to build a nature center in Macomb County. In 2018, the zoo announced plans for the center, but it later abandoned the project in 2022.
Detroit Zoological Society CEO Haley Murphy said the COVID-19 pandemic’s pressure on the zoo’s operating budget made it economically unfeasible to move forward with the nature center. The project was initially expected to cost up to $30 million.
The zoo also faces $1.8 million in property repairs from a sinkhole that opened on its grounds.
Haley noted in a Macomb Daily article that the zoo remains a strong partner in the Macomb County community. She emphasized that the zoo would focus its resources on maximizing outreach through partnership building with the Huron-Clinton Metroparks Authority (HCMA).
According to the Macomb Daily, since its opening in 1928, the Detroit Zoo has become one of the largest zoos in the United States, caring for more than 2,000 animals from over 250 species. In 2024, the zoo earned nearly $54 million in revenue. A large portion of this revenue comes from gate receipts and tax revenue. Tickets are $27 for general admission.
While the zoo receives approximately 1.4 million visitors annually, it has seen a decline to 1.2 million visitors in 2024 as it continues to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new attraction at the zoo, Discovery Trails, is planned for an opening in 2026. It will feature interactive animal experiences and an agricultural exhibition.
Learn more about visiting the Detroit Zoo on its website.
