The Living Desert set to break ground on lion habitats, event center after city extension

The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens expects to break ground within the next two weeks on a major campus expansion that will include a 37,650-square-foot event center, a two-story administrative office, three new lion habitats and a redesigned entrance.

The project remains on track for a fall 2028 opening after the Palm Desert Planning Commission voted 4-0 Tuesday to grant a one-year extension of its approvals. The extension pushes the expiration date one year to Sept. 3, 2027, giving the zoo additional time as it prepares to begin the roughly two-year construction process.

RoxAnna Breitigan, chief operating officer of The Living Desert, told commissioners the extension was requested as a precaution because the project is so close to the current deadline.

“We’re just doing our due diligence since we’re so close to the date,” Breitigan said. “We don’t think we’ll need the whole year extension.”

The Phase 3 expansion, originally approved by the commission on Sept. 3, 2024, also includes a new entrance and ticketing structure at the zoo’s Portola Avenue campus. The extension does not change the project or any of its existing conditions of approval.

The zoo submitted its formal request Aug. 11. According to a city staff report, grading plans have already been reviewed and approved and are ready for permit issuance once outstanding mitigation requirements are completed.