Cincinnati Zoo’s $7.5M Hippo Cove is Now Open

After a 20 year hiatus, hippos are back!

Henry, 34, and Bibi, 17, made their debut appearance Thursday in their new $7.5 million dollar home at Cincinnati Zoo‘s Hippo Cove. As a long-standing partner of the Zoo, HGC Construction was chosen as the construction manager on the project. Hippo Cove is considered the most complex project ever accomplished in the Cincinnati Zoo’s history. The exhibit was designed to allow visitors to get up close and personal with the hippos. The exhibit consists of one 16,000 gallon outdoor pool with an underwater viewing area through a 65 ft. glass viewing window. Behind the exhibit is a 4,000 SF holding building with an additional pool and a 6,000 SF water filtration building which is home to the complex “Life Support System” that works to keep the exhibit clean and the ozone levels stable.

Read more about the exhibit and fun facts in the project profile below.

Project Specifics and Photos

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden – Hippo Cove