Naming a new zoo in Elk Grove should have been a slam dunk until it wasn’t | Opinion
When a city decides to invest millions of dollars into a project, they are entitled to name it whatever they want.
Wednesday night, however, the Elk Grove City Council voted unanimously to officially call the new zoo the “Elk Grove – Sacramento Zoo,” putting an end to the speculation. But truthfully, this name does not do its new host justice.
The city of Elk Grove went all in on being the new home for the Sacramento Zoo.
A primary purpose of the Zoo was to enhance the identity of Elk Grove but they have been in a tough predicament, having to struggle with those who want the zoo in Elk Grove but don’t necessarily want the zoo named for Elk Grove.
“I think what staff proposed is a good compromise. It does have Elk Grove first, which I think a lot of Elk Grove residents would appreciate. It keeps Sacramento in the name for the nostalgia,” Elk Grove Council member Darren Suen said on Wednesday.
The Sacramento Zoological Society had pressured the city to pay homage to the original Land Park location.
There’s no shame in Elk Grove
For the more than century-old zoo in William Land Park in Sacramento, it was either to find a new and bigger space or close its doors. Luckily, the zoo found its home in Elk Grove.
Elk Grove’s leaders stepped, they wanted the zoo..
The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board spoke with Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie. Singh-Allen and the Sac Zoo Society last May. Singh-Allen spoke with joy and excitement about hosting the new facility.
“This is a game changer. I see this as an opportunity for our city,” Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen said about the zoo deal last May. “This sort of investment invites more investments. This opportunity sends out to the business world ‘look at all the great things happening at Elk Grove.’”
During the Wednesday council meeting, Singh-Allen shared her approval to include Sacramento in the name.
“I actually love the name it and it’s a great compromise,” Singh Allen said of the new Zoo name. “ I really want to thank and appreciate the Sacramento Zoological Society’s partnership in this.”
It’s a nice sentiment but there are other considerations that are also important to remember.
Elk Grove wanted the zoo more than Sacramento
The city of Elk Grove will invest $177 million of funds towards the construction. The Zoo Society announced recently that they reached $17.5 million of their $50 million fundraising goal.
The city of Sacramento had other growth priorities they placed above the zoo. They have focused on downtown amenities, the city waterfront and sports. A case in point is the celebration around a non-binding agreement to build a new soccer stadium for Republic FC at the downtown railyards. There’s also the buzz around the Athletics coming to West Sacramento.
Sacramento probably could’ve kept the zoo but chose to go in other directions. Elk Grove chose the zoo. Why not name it after the city that saved it?
This story was originally published February 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
