2006 Miami Metro Zoo Election

[krazekiddd]

I don't know if anyone has posted this yet but in Miami-Dade County, they are voting on the below for the Miami Metro Zoo....

 

REFERENDUM ALLOWING FURTHER DEVELOPMENT

AT METROZOO PROPERTY

Provided that revenues will be used to expand Metrozoo facilities and educational and conservation programs, shall the County be allowed to contract to develop and operate an entertainment district, to include commercial uses and structures such as water park rides and attractions, related retail concessions, food and beverage establishments, a hotel, and a family entertainment center, on Metrozoo property on land that is not environmentally sensitive and is outside the animal attractions?

 

 

Miami Dade Election Ballot

 

Maybe they can turn that place into something worth visiting.

[BeemerBoy]

Wow, this really caught me by surprise. I'm not sure if anyone here ever visited this zoo back in it's early years, but it really was one of the best zoos in the country. As an animal lover, it became the saddest story I can remember after hurricane Andrew swept through in '92. The place was absolutely devastated by the storm, and has never recovered.

 

I revisited the zoo with my wife sometime around 2000 out of curiousity, and it was simply a shell of its former self. Not even the incredible aviary, which featured a monorail traveling through it, had been repaired. Although many volunteers worked around the clock to restore the zoo to its former glory, it was still glaringly obvious that the locals just don't have the sense of pride they once had in the place. More importantly, local businesses have not rallied to rebuild it through grants, donations, etc.

 

This proposition to build an "entertainment-type complex" may not be such a great idea in my estimation. If they gauranteed to build the zoo back up to the standards of say, a San Diego Zoo, or Animal Kingdom, they'd partly have my support. Part of the reason the zoo was basically detroyed, and hundreds of animals lost was because it wasn't built with category 5 hurricanes in mind. Rebuilding with protective measures in mind, along with strong educational and conservation programs would get me leaning towards yes.

 

If an entertainment district would provide the needed capital to fund the zoo's growth, I'd vote yes, but not without seeing solid plans which gauranteed the zoo would remain separate from the chaos of the water park, etc. This should only be allowed to happen if the water park, etc. were completely outside of the zoo's boundaries. Amusement-type facilities would only turn that area into what people hate about SFGADV - bad clientele, bad ops.....see where I'm going?

 

I hope the zoo can get back to where it once was, but I'm very skeptical about this proposed plan.

[krazekiddd]

Looks like the measure is going to pass...

 

With 87% of the precincts reporting, the measure is ahead

 

650 of 744 Precincts Completely Reporting

Percent Votes

YES

63.31% 212,728

NO

36.69% 123,281

 

It's under the title "County Question".

 

Miami Election Results

[the sound]

For a start, i dont think Any zoo needs a hotel, entertainemnt complex or not.

 

Second, to have a zoo anywere near any sort of Amuesment park is cruel, with the exceptions of Sea World, and mayby Busch Gardens and mayby Animal Kingdom.

 

Other wise, i am against the whol deal. It is sad that it got destroyed in Hurricane Andrew, but these things happen, and i would focus on repairing the zoo back to normal state, before putting a water park, hotel etc etc next to it.

 

Besides, zoo's are about animals, not rides, which dissapoints me in some cases, especially Tobu Zoo and Flamingoland.

 

Summay: I don't like the idea. Though i will never visit it.

[terrancew_hod]

^ I hear you. I think as bad as the housing prices are, this is the last thing we need. Why build a hotel that will most likely be too expensive for average person to stay? And I got a pool at my place that no one jumps in.

 

I think they need a mandate on the ballot for more affordable housing... I got three new "luxury" condo projects around me that are virtually empty, including one that has been finished for months. I see about three cars going in and out of and that was a complete waste of money.

[pinkfloydfanatic]

So what is the latest new on hte $200 adventure theme park with roller coasters. From what I understand the zoo has to aquire some land from the county or coast guard or something like that? Any idea when the big park would open?