ROYAL OAK (AP) — The Detroit Zoo says 2016 was its 11th consecutive year where attendance surpassed a million visitors.
The zoo says the mark was reached nearly three weeks earlier than last year.
Zoo officials say the new Polk Penguin Conservation Center, which opened in April, was a contributing factor to the strong attendance this year.
The zoo broke its attendance record in 2015, attracting nearly 1.5 million visitors. It says it’s on track to break that record.
Recently, voters in Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties decided to renew a special property tax to help fund zoo operations.
