Zoo Admission Rises $1; 2nd Boost in 3 Months

The second half of a San Diego Zoo admission price increase went into effect today, raising adult admission to $8.50. It is the second hike in three months.

The revenue from the $1 increase will be used over the next 10 to 15 years to improve sewer lines, renovate restrooms, and other utility projects that have been put by the wayside during the zoo’s 70-year history, zoo spokesman Jeff Jouett said.

“The extra admissions revenue is needed to cover the cost of some of the less attractive aspects of renovating the entire zoo,” Jouett said. “Most capital outlay projects are financed through donations, but it is really hard to get a donation for, say, a new sewer system or redoing the restrooms.”

The increase does not affect children’s $2.50 admission, zoo members and season pass holders. “We did just the adult admission price because we want to keep this as a place to bring the kids,” he said. “The children admission price has been the same for the last four years to make it easier on families.”

The Zoological Society of San Diego voted in January to increase the adult admission price to $8.50 from $6.50, Jouett said. A $1 increase to cover increased insurance and facility maintenance costs went into effect March 23.

“We could have done it (the $2 increase) all at once, but we chose to phase it in,” Jouett said. “We decided to have one in the spring and one right before the summer season. We get half our visitors during the summer, with about a million and a half people coming to the zoo between Memorial Day and Labor Day.”

A record 3.4 million people visited the zoo in 1986, and Jouett predicted that record would be broken this year because of the arrival in late July of two giant pandas on loan from China.

“We won’t charge more to see the pandas, at least that is the plan right now,” Jouett said. “We do have to see what kind of demand we have. However, if there are lines and lines, the early people may pay a little bit more to cover the labor costs of having the zoo open extra hours.”

Another admission price increase could come as early as January, 1988, after the Zoological Society trustees vote on a new budget at the end of this year, Jouett said.

Admission fees make up 30% of the zoo’s total revenue, Jouett said.