LV or California could be Irwin’s zoo site

Dan Kulin

Monday, March 7, 2005 | 9:35 a.m.

Las Vegas and locations in California are being considered as possible sites for "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's first zoo in the United States, his manager and business partner said Friday.

John Stainton, who has produced and directed all of Irwin's television shows and movies, said they are in the very early stages of finding a place for a zoo in the United States.

He said Las Vegas' climate and steady stream of tourists make the city an attractive location, but he cited the cost of the land here as a problem.

The availability and cost of land that would be needed for a zoo will greatly impact whether they try to open a zoo in Las Vegas, he said.

"We have always wanted to have an on-ground presence in the States," Stainton said, adding that for the last seven or eight years they have looked primarily in the Los Angeles area.

Las Vegas became a serious contender during the past six months, he said.

"But this is very early on. We're just putting our toe in the water," he said.

The facility would be modeled after Irwin's 250-acre Australia Zoo, but wouldn't necessarily be all in one place, or that large.

Stainton said that if the project came to Las Vegas, the main arena part of it would have to be downtown or near the Strip so that it would be easy for tourists to visit.

"We could have two zoos, one a show arena for the crocodiles on maybe 10 to 20 acres, and a second zoo of 100 to 200 acres outside the immediate area," he said.

"There's a million combinations and our plans are really floating until we get the real estate. But it's something that we've started and it's a process. It's still vague because the plans will change depending on the final locations."

Stainton said he has spoken with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman as well as hotel and development leaders, although he would not say who.

Goodman has said he thinks Cashman Field would be a good place for Irwin's zoo.

Stainton would not say what Las Vegas locations he looked at. He also said that there is no timeline for the project, and he didn't know how much it might cost.

Irwin is known for wrestling crocodiles and other reptiles. For his television show, "The Crocodile Hunter," he and wife, Terri, film their encounters with wildlife including deadly snakes and lizards.