The Dallas Zoo just got the green light for a major makeover. On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council approved a roughly $90 million overhaul that will cut a new Safari Trail through about 15 acres of underused parkland on the Oak Cliff campus, create what zoo officials say will be the nation’s only combined cheetah-and-rhino habitat, and build new homes for penguins and flamingos. The development agreement lets zoo leaders move into detailed design, permitting and fundraising for the multi-phase project.
According to the Dallas Business Journal, the council’s vote approved the formal development agreement, cleared the legal path for the roughly $90 million project and signaled the city’s support for the zoo’s capital campaign. The outlet reports that the scope includes substantial exhibit upgrades and new visitor amenities aimed at bringing an underused portion of the campus back to life.
What the Safari Trail will feature
The zoo’s planning materials describe a half-mile, safari-style route that would bring rhinos back to Dallas and add a new cheetah habitat positioned alongside them. The plan also calls for an Elephant Great Room, a Wild Earth Discovery education center, a café and event space. Those program elements, along with new pedestrian connections and a planned 580-space parking garage near the DART station, are detailed on the zoo’s project page, which also notes that the trail would reactivate roughly 15 acres of city parkland, according to the Dallas Zoo.
Funding and the backstory
The $90 million price tag is tied to the zoo’s broader fundraising campaign and to municipal support, according to reporting by the Dallas Business Journal. City voters had already set aside money for zoo improvements in the 2024 bond package, with roughly $30 million earmarked specifically for a safari habitat, as outlined in a voter guide by D Magazine. Earlier council support for the renovation plan was detailed in Hoodline coverage.
Neighborhood and traffic
Zoo leaders and city staff say the project is designed with traffic and safety in mind, with upgrades intended to ease congestion on busy days. Those plans include the new parking garage and improved pedestrian access to Southern Gateway Park and the nearby DART station. The zoo sits on city-owned land, a detail confirmed by campus information from City of Dallas Parks & Recreation.
What comes next
With council approval in hand, zoo officials can now finalize designs, apply for permits and push ahead on private fundraising and phased construction, although a specific construction start date has not yet been announced. The Dallas Zoo presents the Safari Trail work as a multi-year effort to expand education, conservation and visitor amenities, according to the Dallas Zoo.
