The Sioux Falls City Council on July 15 approved the Zoo & Aquarium Master Plan, a multi‑phase blueprint that directs facility changes across the zoo’s 40‑plus‑acre campus and includes a proposed aquarium, relocation of the Butterfly House, and an education center that will host a film and interactive tribute to the Delbridge collection.
Becky DeWitts, zoo director, and Parks staff described a phased plan spanning roughly 15–20 years with a conceptual budget in the hundreds of millions of dollars for the full campus build‑out. Key elements of the approved plan include relocating the city’s Butterfly House to the zoo, an education center and Denny Sanford Learning Center interior naming rights (under a separate naming agreement), a proposed 400,000‑gallon aquarium with penguins and jellyfish exhibits, and future savannah and tiger exhibits.
The plan calls for a dedicated homage to the Delbridge Museum within the new education space. City and zoo staff said that homage will include a documentary film, interactive displays, static signage and restoration of a giant panda specimen; funding for the homage components is proposed from CIP funds and the Delbridge Family Endowment at the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation.
Public comment at the council meeting was strongly mixed. Several speakers urged different outcomes: some urged preserving the Delbridge collection in Sioux Falls, others criticized past handling of the collection and questioned partnerships or donor naming, particularly expressing objection to using Denny Sanford’s name given allegations tied to him; donors and a known supporter of a jellyfish exhibit confirmed prior commitments. Staff said the aquarium capital cost was estimated at about $60 million and that much of the aquarium funding would be private philanthropic support; zoo staff said the project will pursue private fundraising and phased design and that CIP funds in fiscal year 2027 could support initial homage work.
Council members praised the plan’s emphasis on animal and guest well‑being, accreditation, educational outreach and economic impact. The council voted 7-0 to approve the master plan; staff said detailed designs, fundraising and environmental and operational planning will follow.