Among the arguments the BREC administration has repeatedly used over the past 18 months in its push to relocate the Baton Rouge Zoo is that the city’s “philanthropic community” would be far more willing to donate big money to fund a zoo if it’s moved from economically depressed north Baton Rouge to a more commercially vibrant section of the parish.
As recently as Tuesday, BREC issued a fact sheet in support of its proposed plan to relocate the zoo to Airline Highway Park, better known as the Fairgrounds, noting there is “greater willingness of the philanthropic community to fund,” the zoo at the south Baton Rouge site than at its existing home in Greenwood Park in Baker.
But among several major foundations and corporate sponsors of the zoo contacted by Daily Report, few are willing to go on the record saying as much. To the contrary, Sean Reilly, CEO of Lamar Advertising, says his family’s Reilly Family Foundation will “support the zoo no matter where it is because it is an important community asset.”
Similarly, Raising Cane’s CEO Todd Graves says his company, a generous supporter of BREC projects, will “continue to support the zoo.” Graves goes on to say, “I have faith in the leadership of BREC to do what’s in the best interest of the community.”
The BREC Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on the administration’s controversial proposal to move the zoo at its meeting Thursday night.
Two other major foundations in the community—the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation—say through spokespersons that they “have no position” on the zoo.
On the other hand, Charles Lamar III, who heads his family’s Charles Lamar Family Foundation, says while he would continue to support “a truly new zoo” at Greenwood Park, that support would “probably be in a lower amount than to one at a more accessible location.”
Lamar adds that any donation for a new zoo would probably be from him, personally, and not from the family foundation.
BREC has said its feedback on funding the zoo came through meetings held several years ago with philanthropists and community leaders as it began exploring the possibility of building a new elephant exhibit at the zoo’s existing location, which led to conversations about building a new zoo altogether elsewhere in the parish.
The BREC Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Thursday at 6201 Florida Blvd.
