Great Plains Zoo and Butterfly House and Aquarium Discussing Merger

The Great Plains Zoo and Butterfly House and Aquarium have a plan, a plan to combine the two campuses to create a new and improved attraction that will be uniquely Sioux Falls.

The two entities are currently working on a plan that will facilitate a marriage between both organizations. The proposed plan includes a transformative vision designed to be rolled out over the next 15 years. The master plan was unveiled to the public for the first time during a city council meeting on Tuesday, (March 26).

Great Plains Zoo, CEO, Becky Dewitz told Dakota News Now, “You can go to aquariums and zoos throughout the nation, we want to differentiate ourselves. We’re not gonna be the biggest, but we are mighty and we’re gonna do our community proud with what we create.”

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As Dakota News Now reports, the Great Plains Zoo and the Butterfly House and Aquarium have been busy discussing a variety of different ideas that are subject to change over time and are set to include new animal enclosures, cafes, conservation zones, educational opportunities, and more.

At this time the two entities are discussing ways to help fund this new merger plan. The talks include private funding, but they’re still in the early stages of developing a capital campaign.

Because of the size of this merger plan project, plans can and could quite possibly change along the journey.

Dewitz told Dakota News Now, “Phase one with the education center, the aquarium, the butterfly rain forest. I’m honored to say we have an impactful lead gift, I am not allowed to disclose the donor at this time nor the amount. we will be sharing that with the donor in the future, but it is transformative,”

You can take a deeper dive into the Great Plains Zoo and the Butterfly House and Aquarium's master plan here.

Source: Dakota News Now