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Blame Drought For Rising Zoo Prices
POSTED: 10:05 a.m. MST February 19, 2003
UPDATED: 10:08 a.m. MST February 19, 2003
DENVER -- The drought is taking its toll on the Denver Zoo.
The zoo is in a budget crunch that is being blamed on
skyrocketing hay prices because of drought and stagnant attendance due to the slow economy.
To help boost revenue and keep the animals fed, the zoo is
planning $2 increases in admission prices.
It also wants to charge 3-year-olds -- who now get in for free -- $7 during peak visiting months, while letting kids younger than 3 to continue to visit without paying.
Senior citizens would be affected as well. The discount price, now given to visitors 62 and older, would be bumped up to age 65.
Zoo officials said there is no way to avoid the increases.
The zoo last raised ticket prices in 2000 to pay off a new parking garage. Ticket prices have not increased since 1998 to pay for operating costs, zoo officials said.
Additional Resources:
The zoo is in a budget crunch that is being blamed on
skyrocketing hay prices because of drought and stagnant attendance due to the slow economy.
To help boost revenue and keep the animals fed, the zoo is
planning $2 increases in admission prices.
It also wants to charge 3-year-olds -- who now get in for free -- $7 during peak visiting months, while letting kids younger than 3 to continue to visit without paying.
Senior citizens would be affected as well. The discount price, now given to visitors 62 and older, would be bumped up to age 65.
Zoo officials said there is no way to avoid the increases.
The zoo last raised ticket prices in 2000 to pay off a new parking garage. Ticket prices have not increased since 1998 to pay for operating costs, zoo officials said.
Additional Resources:Copyright 2003 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
