The struggling San Francisco Zoo could cost the city tens of millions of dollars, whether it remains open or is closed.
That’s according to a report obtained exclusively by The San Francisco Standard.
The report comes after District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar asked the board’s budget analysts to study the financial impact of three options for the zoo.
They include: Keeping the zoo open, closing the zoo permanently, or closing it temporarily, while the city looks for a new operator.
If the city continues to manage the zoo, the report says it would cost the city about $100 million dollars over three years, with a net revenue of $20 million.
Closing the zoo permanently would cost the city about $15 million annually for three years, with no revenue. Closing the facility temporarily would cost about the same.
Melgar has introduced legislation for an eight-and-a-half million loan to help rebuild and stabilize the zoo.
According to a financial report, the zoo lost about six-and-a-half million dollars last year as attendance dropped by 40 percent.
