Illinois Gov. Quinn Announces Capital Improvements

Governor Pat Quinn visited Brookfield Zoo today and announced $15.6 million in funding will go for much-needed repairs and updates to the zoos aging buildings and exhibits. The capital funds will help make urgent repairs to many of the zoo's aged electrical, sanitary, structural, roofing and HVAC systems. The funding is part of the "Illinois Jobs Now!," a job generation and capital improvement program aimed at revivign the states ailing economy by creating and retaining over 439,000 jobs over six years.

Investing in Brookfield Zoo will create jobs and help ensure that one of our top tourist attractions keeps people coming to Illinois, said Governor Quinn. With Illinois Jobs Now!, we can fund important projects that will help revitalize our economy while laying a foundation for future growth.

Brookfield Zoo opened in 1934, and much of the infrastructure dates back to the same era. The repairs and upgrades will create more than 370 construction jobs. It will also help the zoo prevent layoffs, exhibit closures and the elimination of award-winning conservation education programs.

Thanks to Governor Quinn, we can begin to make worthy, well-planned and much-needed repairs to Brookfield Zoos aging infrastructure, said Dr. Stuart Strahl, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Zoological Society. With this important capital funding we can create jobs for Chicago-area skilled laborers while averting significant layoffs at Brookfield Zoo.

In 2009 Brookfield Zoo pumped more than $150 million into the Illinois economy while supporting 2,000 jobs. It was the states most popular outdoor cultural attraction with more than 2.2 million guests and 102,500 member households, including more than one million children under the age of 11. Additionally, the zoos education programs reached 2,000 teachers and 22,000 students in area schools.

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• brookfield
• zoo
• governor
• quinn
• infrastructure
• jobs
• captial
• improvement
• million

[ZooVisitorMM]

I am so glad to know this news.

It is extremely important for politicians (and everyone else) to recognize and speak out about the value and importance of zoos in modern society.

And, in the case of politicians, it is also important that they put their money where their mouths are!

Good luck for continued success in all ways in the years ahead.

I do very much hope to visit your zoo someday!