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Baltimore
Zoo
Starting in
1995 and continuing for five years, Strategic Leisure was engaged
by the Baltimore Zoo, working closely with Roger
Birkel, its Executive Director.
In these five years, Strategic Leisure first provided a “Report
Card” on the Zoo relative to other zoos around the country;
and then went on to develop the strategy for the repositioning and
redevelopment of the Zoo. Two key tenants of the strategy were the
rebranding of the Zoo absent the word “zoo” (a word that
is so well understood that it carries a great deal of baggage),
and the abandonment of the Zoo’s Victorian-styled entrance,
for a naturally immersive experience, taking guests through a beautiful
mature forest valley on the way to the new center of a very enchanting
place.
Strategic Leisure acted as the surrogate client, on behalf of the
Zoo, and assembled and led the designers and construction management
team in the production of the schematic design. This work resulted
in the Baltimore Zoo undertaking a $60 million redevelopment project
and a commitment from the State of Maryland for half of the funds.
Strategic Leisure was then asked to write the request for proposals
for both the architectural and engineering (A & E), and construction
management (CM) teams, identify specific A&E and CM firms to
be invited to submit their qualifications, analyze the proposals,
interview the short list teams and make recommendations to the Zoo
which were adopted in both critical areas.
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Strategic
Leisure's masterplan showing guest entry sequence
(top road) through the beautiful wooded valley
to the heart and hub of of the Zoo.
As
part of this effort, Strategic Leisure recommended a cost savings
fee structure for the unique combination of pre-construction services,
construction management and self-performed specialty construction
with the CM, Valley
Crest, a firm that is uniquely qualified to perform the
specialty landscape oriented work. This arrangement is calculated
to save the Zoo approximately a million dollars in CM fees and
construction costs.
In addition to its primary responsibilities, over the five-year
relationship,
Strategic Leisure has also responded to the Zoo’s requests
for assistance in a range of tactical marketing matters, including
recommending the highly successful (with both guests and Zoo staff)
“Keeper Encounter” program, putting a human face to
the traditional zoo key tour, and making stars out of the staff
in the process.
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