IMPACT OF THE LAW. THE BLANK PARK ZOO IN DES MOINES ANNOUNCED TODAY IT WILL BEGIN MAJOR RENOVATIONS TO SOME OF ITS FACILITIES. KCCI’S ETHAN HUMBLE LEARNED MORE ABOUT WHAT THE $18 MILLION PROJECT WILL BRING FOR VISITORS. SINCE 1966. THE BLANK PARK ZOO HAS BEEN BRINGING ITS VISITORS ENDLESS AMOUNTS OF JOY. AND NOW, IN ITS LARGEST RENOVATION TO DATE, ANIMALS. JUST LIKE THE LIONS BEHIND ME WILL BE GETTING THE NEW MAKEOVER TO THEIR HOME. THE ZOO WILL BE TAKING ON TWO MAJOR EXHIBITS TO ADD SPACE FOR A HANDFUL OF ANIMALS. THE WILD IOWA EXHIBIT WILL FEATURE LARGER SPACES FOR RIVER OTTERS, BALD EAGLES AND BOBCATS CATS. IT WILL ALSO GIVE VISITORS A CHANCE TO TAKE A BEHIND THE SCENES TOURS WITHIN THE NEW FACILITIES, AND THE ZOO’S NEW LION EXHIBIT WILL TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THEY HAVE, GIVING THEM MORE TO CLIMB AND MORE PLACES TO GO DURING THE WINTER. THERE WILL ALSO BE A TRAINING SPACE, LARGE ENOUGH FOR TOURS TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LIONS. BLANK PARK’S PRESIDENT AND CEO, SAYS THE CHANGES ARE MAINLY BEING DONE TO IMPROVE ZOO VIEWING FOR VISITORS. PART OF THE REASON WE’RE DOING THESE PROJECTS IS TO LOOK AT OUR GUEST EXPERIENCE, SO REALLY LOOKING AT IT FROM AN INCLUSIVITY LENS. SO HOW WHAT ARE THE VIEWING EXPERIENCES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AND HOW CAN WE REALLY CONNECT PEOPLE WITH ANIMALS IN A DIFFERENT WAY? THE ZOO SAYS IT PLANS ON BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION THIS SUMMER, WITH THE EXHIBIT SET TO OPEN IN THE COMING YEARS.