Zoo Midland will soon break ground

MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Midland Zoo Director Jason Green says that while planning a brand new zoo for the Permian Basin is no easy task, progress is being made.

“In the next 60 days when we start to break ground, it may not be the most exciting part of construction, but they’ll be putting all the infrastructure needed for our site into place,” said Green.

There will soon be boots on the ground prepping for the incoming zoo on property that once housed the Nueva Vista Golf Course. And if things go according to plan, construction on actual zoo facilities should start 4 to 6 months after that.

“Things are moving really good. I tell people that it’s like turning a cruise ship. It takes a while before you realize you’ve actually turned,” said Green.

Green also says, the creation of Zoo Midland has gotten off to a great start because of solid investment, be he notes that there will be more opportunities for local investors who want to see the zoo grow even more.

“Yeah, we’ve gotten really good funding so far. There’s been great local support. And we’re still looking. There will be opportunities on a small scale that we’ll roll out in the next year or so,” said Green.

And that investment could lead to even more animals for West Texans to learn about and check out at Zoo Midland.

“We’re hoping to have rhinos, a bug and reptile zoo that kids can check out. We’ll have some African predators, some primates, probably flamingos and other birds,” said Green.

And if the Zoo Midland team keeps making progress, you should be able to visit the country’s next zoo some time in 2027.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.