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Atascadero officials defend zoo rebrand as critics urge keeping Charles Paddock name
Summary
City staff presented a rebranding plan to change Charles Paddock Zoo’s public name to “Central Coast Zoo — Atascadero, California,” saying the change will improve digital searchability, broaden the donor base and help meet Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation goals; public comment was sharply divided.
Atascadero City Council heard a staff presentation and public comment on a plan to rebrand Charles Paddock Zoo as “Central Coast Zoo — Atascadero, California,” during a regularly scheduled meeting.
City Director of Community Services Terry Banish told the council the rebrand is intended to increase the zoo’s visibility in online searches and broaden the geographic donor and visitor base from Ventura to Monterey County. Banish said the city has launched a new logo, updated the website and social media, printed 2,000 children’s activity books and has allocated about $45,000 so far to the rebranding effort.
The nut graf: Staff and the zoo’s leadership said the change is part of a larger plan to secure the zoo’s AZA reaccreditation and financial sustainability. The zoo currently runs a roughly $750,000 annual operating deficit; staff and supporters said widening the marketing footprint and improving sponsorship and ticketing options is necessary to shrink that gap and…
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