SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The first phase of a master plan for the Great Plains Zoo has an estimated price of $40 million to $45 million, zoo chief executive officer Becky Dewitz said at Tuesday’s One Sioux Falls media briefing.
Phase I of a multi-phase plan would include a new aquarium in the zoo’s main building and a separate education building on the campus.
The overall estimated cost for all phases is about $150 million, Dewitz said.
Other phases include a new cafe, a proposed South Dakota Prairie exhibit and upgrades to primate and other exhibits.
The master plan needs approval by the city’s parks and recreation board and then, the city council.
The goal is to start construction of the first phase in 2026, Dewitz said.
But before any construction can start, the zoo needs to secure the funding, Dewitz said.
Don Kearney, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said the city has committed $3 million to to zoo improvements in its five-year capital plan. The department and city will continue to work with the zoo to evaluate the capital contribution, Kearney said.