ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO STATES NATIONAL SURVEY SHOWS POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TURTLE BACK ZOO ON REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMY

Study by Association of Zoos and Aquariums Concludes Turtle Back Zoo Has Significant Educational and Economic Development Value

West Orange, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said that Essex County Turtle Back Zoo generates significant economic benefits locally, regionally and nationally, according to a new analysis conducted on behalf of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

“Over the last several years, we have invested a great deal of resources to transform Essex County Turtle Back Zoo into an education and recreation destination. Providing a first-class, affordable attraction where people of all ages can have an enjoyable afternoon is important to enhancing our quality of life, especially during the difficult economic times we are experiencing,” DiVincenzo said. “We always knew Turtle Back Zoo was a treasure for the community and we are pleased that the AZA study also illustrates the Zoo’s important role as an engine for job creation and economic growth in the local region. As the Zoo continues to expand, we can expect its impact to grow exponentially too,” he added.

“Essex County Turtle Back Zoo supports the community in more ways than one,” AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy said. “Not only does Turtle Back Zoo have a deep commitment to science education and wildlife conservation, but it also generates valuable economic benefits to the region,” he pointed out.

AZA recently commissioned nationally recognized economist Dr. Stephen Fuller to conduct a state-by-state economic impact analysis. His survey found that AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums provided the following benefits for the State of New Jersey:

• $74 million in economic activity (contribution to national GDP)
• $24.1 million in personal earnings (salaries and wages)
• 614 jobs

“Zoos and aquariums, including Turtle Back Zoo, play a significant role in the economy of New Jersey,” added Maddy.

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo is a valuable community resource and plays a vital role in wildlife conservation. Beyond these important community benefits, Turtle Back Zoo has the following economic impact:

• Turtle Back Zoo employs 115 people
• Turtle Back Zoo spends $400,000 each year on goods and services
• Turtle Back Zoo serves 525,000-plus visitors each year (250,000-plus of which are school children)

Dr. Fuller writes in his analysis: “Annual spending by zoos and aquariums for operations and capital projects generate significant economic benefits for their host jurisdictions. These benefits build from the initial outlays, as they are re-spent across the breadth of the economy. These benefits accumulate and expand the economy’s total output as measured by their contributions to Gross Domestic Product and respective Gross State Products. These benefits also generate new personal earnings to the benefit of workers residing in the host jurisdictions and support job growth locally, regionally and nationally.”

The cumulative economic impact of 219 AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums as they serve more than 179 million annual visitors is as follows:

• $16.0 billion in economic activity (contribution to national GDP)
• $4.7 billion in personal earnings (salaries and wages)
• 142,000 jobs

A copy of the report can be found at: http://www.aza.org/PressRoom/NationalEconomicImpact.

Visit Essex County Turtle Back Zoo at the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex at 560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange, NJ. Or you can go to www.essexcountynj.org or www.turtlebackzoo.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TurtleBackZoo or follow @TurtleBackZoo on Twitter.

Press: For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Lori Faigin or Katie Denman at The S3 Agency, (973) 257-5533 or lfaigin@s3s3s3.com or kdenman@s3s3s3.com.

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Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex

The South Mountain Recreation Complex is located in West Orange, New Jersey and is part of the historic Essex County Parks System, the nation’s first county park system created in 1895. Named after South Mountain Reservation, the land upon which it sits, South Mountain Recreation Complex is home to Turtle Back Zoo, miniGOLF Safari and Codey Arena. Coming in August 2011 is the Treetop Adventure Course.

Turtle Back Zoo: New Jersey’s #1 Zoo, Turtle Back Zoo is AZA-accredited and features over 800 animals from around the world. Opened in 1963, Turtle Back Zoo is committed to providing an enriching recreation experience that fosters excellence in wildlife education and wildlife conservation for present and future generations.

Safari Mini Golf: The 19-hole African Continent-themed miniature golf course opened in 2010. The course features figures of life-size animals (including a 12-foot elephant), waterfalls, dunes and more – offering family fun from spring through fall.

Codey Arena: This state-of-the-art facility features two indoor NHL-regulation sized ice skating rinks. A recent facelift transformed the Arena into a year-round venue that hosts a variety of ice skating and non-ice events, including college and high school hockey games, figure skating clubs, dog shows, dancing competitions and corporate events.

Treetop Adventure Course: South Mountain Recreation Complex will welcome its newest addition – the state’s first aerial obstacle course – in August 2011. The Treetop Adventure Course will feature zip lines, rope bridges and other sky-high attractions.