The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is excited to unveil and officially greet guests through its new entrance on Saturday, November 3, 2018 from 9 am to noon. The opening celebration includes live entertainment and light refreshments and a free gift to the first 1,000 guests through the gate (while supplies last).
Attendees will be welcomed into the Patti and Jack Grundhofer Plaza with palm-lined walkways and new guest service amenities. This beautiful complex completes the first of a three-phase construction project funded through The Living Desert’s Pride of the Desert capital campaign.
Known as Grundhofer Plaza, the entrance includes a variety of innovative features enhancing the visitor’s experience, including self-service kiosks for ticket and tour purchases. Entrance for Zoo members and online ticket purchasers can take advantage of the new scan-and-go entry system. For those interested in membership, train and animal adoptions, private and group tours, or private parties, a dedicated guest relations office will be open during regular park hours.
The Welcome Center serves as a pivotal stop where guests can discover the exciting activities happening throughout the day and plan their visit by watching the state-of-the-art video wall. They can also relax under magnificent 50-foot fever trees in the Living Legacy Endowment Garden. This Garden recognizes the generosity of donors who have made gifts to The Living Desert’s permanent endowment fund, which provides a continuing and growing base of financial support, ensuring this treasured resource will continue for generations to come. The new Suzan and Bill Appel Gift Shop gives attendees the opportunity to purchase from a unique collection of souvenirs, Zoo-branded merchandise, gifts, books, as well as timeless memorabilia.
The completion of the plaza, gift shop, and endowment garden is the culmination of the first phase of The Living Desert’s Crossroads of Conservation, a $30 million capital improvement and park expansion that provides visitors the opportunity to interact with and learn about the world’s desert wildlife. Future plans include new animal habitats to tell the conservation stories of lions, rhinoceros and hyena, plus a modern, indoor event space.
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