Oklahoma City Zoo takes financial hit during coronavirus pandemic

UTILIZING SPECIAL CAMERAS FOR TEMPERATURE CHECKS. AS WELL AS MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND EXTRA SANITIZING. THE PANDEMIC HAS HAMMERED OKLAHOMA CITY’S FINANCES. THE ANIMALS HAVE TO BE CARED FOR WHETHER PEOPLE COME TO THE GATE OR NOT. TONIGHT A LOOK AT HOW THIS YOU HAS RESPONDED. DISEASE GATES WERE CLOSED IN MARCH AND APRIL BUT WITH ELEPHANTS EATING HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF FOOD A DAY AND OTHER ANIMALS WITH VERY SPECIFIC DIETS, HOUSING AND VETERINARY NEEDS, IT ALL ADDS UP. >> IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO BE CLOSED FOR TWO MONTHS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BUT THAT PARTICULAR TIME FRAME WAS ESPECIALLY BAD BECAUSE WE SHUT DOWN LITERALLY THE WEEKEND THAT SPRING BREAK WAS KICKING OFF. AND THOSE, THAT WE SEE ABOUT 50% TIME WE SEE ABOUT 50% OF OUR , ANNUAL ATTENDANCE OVER THOSE COUPLE OF MONTHS. JESSICA: THAT MEANT THE ZOO HAD TO TAP INTO RESERVES AND CUT COSTS WHERE IT COULD. AND WHEN THE GATES REOPENED IN MAY, >> AS A LOT OF ZOOS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE FINDING OUT, IT’S NOT COMING BACK AS FAST AS WE WOULD’VE HOPED. >> THE ZOO HAS CONTINUED TO REOPEN PARTS OF THE PARK. WHEN OKC PASSED A MASK RULE, THE ZOO REOPENED SOME BUILDINGS AS WELL. BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THE ZOO. >> WE’LL FIND OUT. I THINK THAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THE LACK OF CONSISTENCY AND PREDITABILITY GOING THROUGH THIS. >> THE SHUTDOWN HAS GIVEN THE ZOO THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE NEW PROGRAMS, LIKE SIP AND STROLL, ON THURSDAYS. ADULTS CAN HAVE AN ADULT BERVERAGE AND LEISURELY TAKE IN THE ZOO. >> LOOKING TO LAYER IN NEW EXPERIENCES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO COME OUT HERE. >> THE ZOO HAS TAKEN IT ON THE CHIN, BUT IT’S STILL IN BETTER SHAPE THAN MANY OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. >> I HATE TO NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER ALL THE PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE TYPICALLY DO BUT WE CAN KEEP GOING FOR QUITE A WHILE. >> THE ZOO HAS LOOKED INTO WHAT IT CAN DO ONLINE, BUT THAT’S HARD FOR A ZOO WHERE THE DRAW IS SEEING AN ANIMAL UP CLOSE, IN PERSON. >> WE’RE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT IT WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND WITH THE WHOLE STATE O THINGS AND SCHOOLS IN FLUX EVERYTHING IS SO FLUID RIGHT NOW, WE REALLY HAVEN’T LANDED ON ANYTHING WE THINK IS GOING TO WORK ABSOL

The Oklahoma City Zoo’s gates were closed in March and April, but with elephants eating hundreds of pounds of food a day and other animals with very specific diets, plus housing and veterinary needs, it all adds up.“It would be tough to be closed for two months under any circumstances, but that particular time frame was especially bad because we shut down literally the weekend that spring break was kicking off,” Oklahoma City Zoo CEO Dwight Lawson said. “We see about 50% of our annual attendance over those couple of months.”That meant the zoo had to tap into reserves and cut costs where it could. And when the gates reopened in May, Lawson said, “As a lot of zoos around the country are finding out, it’s not coming back as fast as we would’ve hoped.”The Oklahoma City Zoo has continued to reopen parts of the park, and the zoo reopened some buildings when the city council passed a mask mandate. But no one knows what the future holds for the zoo.“Well, we’ll find out. I think that’s the biggest challenge, is the lack of consistency and predictability going through this,” Lawson said.The shutdown has given the zoo the opportunity to create new programs, such as Sip and Stroll on Thursdays. The program allows people to enjoy an adult beverage and leisurely take in the zoo.“We’re looking to layer in new experiences and new opportunities to come out here,” Lawson said.The zoo has taken it on the chin, but it’s still in better shape than many others around the country.“I hate to not be able to offer all the programs and opportunities that we typically do, but we can keep going for quite a while,” Lawson said.The Oklahoma City Zoo has looked into what it can do online, but that’s hard for a zoo where the draw is seeing an animal up close and in person.“We’re certainly looking at it with our educational programs. And with the whole state of things and schools in flux, everything is so fluid right now. We really haven’t landed on anything we think is going to work absolutely,” Lawson said.

OKLAHOMA CITY —

“It would be tough to be closed for two months under any circumstances, but that particular time frame was especially bad because we shut down literally the weekend that spring break was kicking off,” Oklahoma City Zoo CEO Dwight Lawson said. “We see about 50% of our annual attendance over those couple of months.”

That meant the zoo had to tap into reserves and cut costs where it could. And when the gates reopened in May, Lawson said, “As a lot of zoos around the country are finding out, it’s not coming back as fast as we would’ve hoped.”

The Oklahoma City Zoo has continued to reopen parts of the park, and the zoo reopened some buildings when the city council passed a mask mandate. But no one knows what the future holds for the zoo.

“Well, we’ll find out. I think that’s the biggest challenge, is the lack of consistency and predictability going through this,” Lawson said.

The shutdown has given the zoo the opportunity to create new programs, such as Sip and Stroll on Thursdays. The program allows people to enjoy an adult beverage and leisurely take in the zoo.

“We’re looking to layer in new experiences and new opportunities to come out here,” Lawson said.

The zoo has taken it on the chin, but it’s still in better shape than many others around the country.

“I hate to not be able to offer all the programs and opportunities that we typically do, but we can keep going for quite a while,” Lawson said.

The Oklahoma City Zoo has looked into what it can do online, but that’s hard for a zoo where the draw is seeing an animal up close and in person.

“We’re certainly looking at it with our educational programs. And with the whole state of things and schools in flux, everything is so fluid right now. We really haven’t landed on anything we think is going to work absolutely,” Lawson said.

Oklahoma City Zoo takes financial hit during coronavirus pandemic

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