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Seems with travel down, Miami landmark Jungle Island is, like everyone else, sitting on a thin wallet these days. As is the hip, new thing to do, the attraction will ask the government for some money. The City of Miami will take up the measure tomorrow.
According to Miami Today, Jungle Island execs want their $400,000 yearly rent deferred for two years, as well as an $800,000 subsidy from the city. This isn’t the first time Jungle Island has had trouble. In 2004, the attraction stopped paying a $28 million loan meant to help the park move from Pinecrest to its fancy new Watson Island facility. Eventually the county and the city stepped in to help.
Although it would be sad to lose something as cheesy and iconic (iron-icon?), it seems Jungle Island has bitten off more than it can chew financially, and I just don’t see how the endeavor can be turned into a profitable entity. Then again, the folks they’re asking money from just gave the Marlins a few billion dollars in subsidies, so what’s $2.4 million for some parrots?
[Miami Today: Jungle Island bailout could run Miami $2 million]
