Lancaster County leaders approved a $2.1 million grant from county lodging tax dollars Tuesday to support expansion of the Lincoln Children’s Zoo.
The grant will provide $300,000 a year for seven years starting in 2018. The money will be used to pay for a pedestrian bridge over A Street as part of a $15 million zoo expansion.
“It’s a great investment of those tax dollars,†said John Chapo, the zoo’s president and CEO.
He said private donors typically don’t want to contribute to infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and parking lots.
The county money comes from the Visitors Improvement Fund, which collects lodging tax revenue. The county Visitors Promotion Committee approved the grant June 29.
The zoo hopes to break ground in April and increase the zoo’s presence in the Antelope Park Triangle from nine to 14 acres. Work will include renovating the Ager Play Center and building a permanent place for the LPS Science Focus Program and new animal exhibits.
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The majority of the zoo's parking will move south of A Street.
“This is a great public-private partnership,†said Nick Cusick, who is helping lead the fundraising campaign for the zoo’s expansion.