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Council approves 20‑year lease with nonprofit to preserve Amarillo zoo operations
Summary
The council approved a 20‑year lease agreement with a nonprofit to operate the Amarillo Zoo, with the city committing up to $900,000 over multiple years and the nonprofit maintaining a $50,000 emergency reserve and quarterly reporting requirements.
The Amarillo City Council approved item 5.6 to enter a long‑term lease/partnership with the Emerald Zoo and Sanctuary, a structure staff said will preserve zoo operations while reducing the city’s ongoing subsidy.
City staff (Donnie Hooper, speaker 3) described the agreement as a “genuine partnership” that allows the nonprofit to own and operate the zoo while the city provides capital support and built‑in accountability. "The city's committing up to $900,000 to this," Hooper said during the presentation, and staff emphasized quarterly reports, annual audits and recapture provisions in the lease to protect public funds.
Staff explained a $50,000 emergency reserve will be held by the nonprofit to be used for urgent repairs and replenished afterward; the lease includes communication and reporting requirements so the city would be notified before the reserve is tapped. Council members asked how the reserve would be administered and how the city’s funds would be disbursed over the first year; staff confirmed the current fiscal year allocation is reduced (about $150,000) and future years would be structured to decline incrementally as the nonprofit ramps up operations.
Several council members praised the public‑private approach as a way to keep the zoo open, free up roughly $300,000 annually in city subsidy over time, and create fundraising capacity through nonprofit channels. After discussion and clarification, council approved the lease by voice vote.
Outcome and next steps: Council voted to adopt the lease; staff will follow the reporting schedule and begin implementing the partnership structure and the first tranche of funding.
