The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has agreed to pay Liberty Township for EMS trips to the zoo property.
Gov. Mike DeWine helped broker the deal after Ohio lawmakers passed a last-minute bill preventing townships from charging fees on entertainment venue tickets.
"We don't wanna be a burden on the township," Columbus Zoo President and CEO Tom Schmid told WOSU's Amy Juravich on Thursday.
Liberty Township reported that in 2024, EMS services to the zoo cost the township about $260,000. Last year, township trustees voted to impose a $1 fee on each zoo ticket to offset that cost. Later, that was reduced to 75 cents.
The Columbus Zoo opposed the tax and fought against it in court, though judges largely sided with Liberty Township.
Eventually, Ohio lawmakers got involved, slipping a provision to prevent townships from levying taxes on entertainment venues into a spending bill. DeWine only signed the ticket tax ban into law after convincing the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to come to an agreement with Liberty Township, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
The zoo will pay Liberty Township $2,750 for each EMS trip to the property for the next five years, regardless of whether EMTs take someone to the hospital.
Schmid told WOSU that the zoo has also hired its own EMS service and will have an ambulance on site during operating hours.
"We'll still rely on Liberty Township if we have multiple calls during the day. Or if someone at the zoo calls 911, Liberty Township will respond," Schmid said. "But if there's an injury now — if our staff gets injured, or if a guest gets injured and our EMS report, they'll respond immediately."
Schmid said the zoo had never considered hiring its own EMS service before its dispute with Liberty Township.
He said Liberty Township has provided EMS services to the zoo for decades.
