The background
According to a news release, The Ralston is part of an expansion of the zoo. The facility will feature capacity for up to 500 guests indoors and the ability to expand onto a covered patio for 600-plus attendees, who will be able to view gorillas, lions, the African Savanna and the downtown San Antonio skyline.
The event center is named after namesake donor Shannon Ralston and her family. Zoo officials said Ralston’s donations have been key toward making The Ralston project possible, emphasizing her commitment to community engagement and wildlife conservation.
In November, Ralston gave the zoo a $10 million donation from the Ralston Family Charitable Foundation in support of the Generation Zoo capital campaign.
Additionally, the Greg Kowalski Family named the Greg Kowalski Family Courtyard at The Ralston in honor of their $1 million donation in October, the release states.
Zoo officials invite other community members to contribute to the Generation Zoo capital campaign by emailing [email protected].
What they’re saying
Susan Naylor, co-chair for the Generation Zoo capital campaign, thanked community members for supporting the zoo’s growth and funding development of a new public gathering space.
"The opening of The Ralston not only signifies a momentous occasion for celebrations but also represents a significant step towards advancing the zoo's mission of inspiring love, engagement and protection of animals and their habitats," Naylor said in a statement.
Zoo President and CEO Tim Morrow said development of The Ralston helps mark a new chapter for the zoo and the community.
"Shannon's unwavering commitment to animal conservation is what brought this incredible moment to fruition. Her gift, the largest in San Antonio Zoo's history, is making The Ralston possible, and proceeds from events hosted will help conserve animals in the wild,” Morrow said in a statement.
