Terri Irwin pushes ahead with LA Zoo site

[News Bot]

Published On: 06-Jun-10 04:02 AM
Source: By Glenis Green via NEWS.com.au

AUSTRALIA Zoo, the wildlife park owned by the family of late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, is pushing ahead with a AU$300 million (US$250 million) plan to replicate the Australian tourist attraction in the gambling mecca of Las Vegas.

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[Earthling]

Its good to see Terri is able to give the Conservation message to more and more people.

Steve took Bob's plans and made it bigger.
Terri is now taking Steve's plans and making it bigger.

Educate, educate, educate.

 

[Waterrat]

Ha, ha, ha, educate the gamblers - viva Las Vegas! Nothing to do with the millions to be made. It's called "expansion of the empire". .... but, good luck to them.

 

[aussie-albino]

Yeah, While she leads the mining companies charge on the Wenlock basin

 

[clouded_mind]

Its good to see Terri is able to give the Conservation message to more and more people.

Steve took Bob's plans and made it bigger.
Terri is now taking Steve's plans and making it bigger.

Educate, educate, educate.

What conservation message? The zoo holds more food stands & collectable shops then it does animals. Only message I see in that is "cash up".

No, Terri took the plans and made the entire family & the zoo and everything they stand for nothing more then laughing stock.

Ha, ha, ha, educate the gamblers - viva Las Vegas! Nothing to do with the millions to be made. It's called "expansion of the empire". .... but, good luck to them.

Exactly. More like thats where the big dollars are. Why daddy gambles his thousands away mummy can take her share & the kidlets to the zoo.

If it was about education it wouldn't be put in a desert surrounded by nothing but casinos. You would have far more attendees elsewhere in a built up location, so is she trying to educate the public? or simply market the high rollers?

It has nothing to do with how many members attend and learn something but it will have everything to do with top dollar pricing you can bet your backside on that. Wait till you see the cost of admission, food & beverages. Terri has chosen to have less attendees for a higher price rate and the casinos would be only to happy to oblidge if it is going to bring in extra tourism (garuntee there will be tickets such as - spend $250 at Bojangles and get free admission to the zoo etc).

 

[Sel]

Apparently its what Steve wanted to do, so Terri is following his plan i guess... i dont like the idea of it being "Las Vegas" themed tho.. its a Zoo !

 

[Jonno from ERD]

Yep, this is not a new idea, it has been around since well before Steve died.

At the end of the day, real conservation efforts need money. A viable business plan is the best way of achieving this. Whilst I don't agree with everything the zoo does (wasting money on rehabbing common species for example), they are definitely at the forefront of promoting a somewhat progressive conservation message compared to any other zoo.

 

[morgs202]

Yep, this is not a new idea, it has been around since well before Steve died.

At the end of the day, real conservation efforts need money. A viable business plan is the best way of achieving this. Whilst I don't agree with everything the zoo does (wasting money on rehabbing common species for example), they are definitely at the forefront of promoting a somewhat progressive conservation message compared to any other zoo.

Exactly! How can people not see this? Researching and protecting wildlife can't exactly be paid for with good will and happy thoughts! Of course this will bring in millions, and I reckon it'll be well spent!

 

[Waterrat]

At the end of the day, real conservation efforts need money. A viable business plan is the best way of achieving this. Whilst I don't agree with everything the zoo does (wasting money on rehabbing common species for example), they are definitely at the forefront of promoting a somewhat progressive conservation message compared to any other zoo.

Jonno, I agree with you but I am yet to see the conservation efforts (without finacial rewards) and the results. Zoo animal shows are nothing new, every establishemnt does it in one form or another.

 

[morgs202]

I do know they are putting in a huge effort up north to try to do something about the ghost nets...

 

[Waterrat]

I know. I also know other things.

 

[AUSHERP]

they buy thousands of acres all over the country and leave them as is for wildlife reserves, i guess the media doesnt like to talk about this cause its not controversial......

 

[syeph8]

I know. I also know other things.

Capital of equatorial guinea?

I do agree that a lot of this money that has been going into conservation seems to have dissappeared or been used to make more money. would like to see exactly how much of the money we put into DSE actually gets spent on sustainability and the environment, and how much goes into debt collecting (liscence fees) and useless beaurocracy. In all honesty i would prefer they payed a visit to me once every few months just to check that im keeping all my animals properly rather than ignoring me completely unless my cheque is a day late.
I acknowledge that steve did a lot for the environment and of all the money he made, he put a very large portion back into the environment (and his own organisations, which were environmentally focused). although he has left big shoes to fill, i havn't seen the same dedication out of Australia Zoo since his passing.
There is also a lot to be said about their earning potential as well. i dont think they would be making as much money without steve, i know the rest are trying their hand at the showbiz game, but they just dont have that presence that the yanks loved so much. Maybe this is the reason for poor performance since then. Either way, it is interesting that they have saved up 300,000,000 and are spending it on making more money.. i wonder if they will continue to spend their profits on making more profits, or if they will combine revenues for conservation efforts. only time will tell!

 

[aussie-albino]

I'm wondering how Terri can be said to have any environmental conscience when she is supporting the attack of the mining companies on the Wenlock River Basin and the Steve Irwin environmental Park there. Bauxite mining and conservation hand in hand ? not likely.

cheers
Scott

 

[Waterrat]

I thought she was trying to block the mining. ???

On another note, when they bought the property, Terri said in a press release that they're going to leave all the cattle there because they are part of the Cape York ecology. Bang! Straight through the foot.

 

[aussie-albino]

The Wenlock River has been declared a Wild River under the Wild Rivers Legislation as of Friday. The mining companies are trying to have that decision reversed. Terri's public position may have changed on it with the weight of public opinion, but in the beginning she was right in the centre of the mining company camps, even in the media trying to add weight to their arguments.

 

[Waterrat]

Scotty, I don't want to argue with you but she was always against the mining there. I don't think she cares about public opinion too much, it was obvious that the proposed mining would damage the springs, etc., etc.. She was the strongest voice against it, she even rounded up few celebs, e.g. Russell Crow to join the fight against Cape Aluminia (I think that's what they're called). I am not taking sides but that's the truth.
The irony is, the Irwins did it all in the name of conservation but in the end, if it wasn't for the State Gov. declaring the Wenlock a Wild River, there was no other way of stopping the mining company and the place would be ruined. So, who takes the credits and long-lasting conservation can be?

 

[aussie-albino]

No Worries Waterrat I don't want argue either the Wenlock is a declared Wild River now and both of us agree that is the best, cheers mate.

Scott

 

[junglepython2]

Either way, it is interesting that they have saved up 300,000,000 and are spending it on making more money..

The article states she is looking for investors so I doubt they have saved up 300mil for the project....

 

[longirostris]

Some how or another I do not think education or conservation are the main motives behind very many of the activities currently being undertaken or planned by the current owners of Australia Zoo.