NC Zoo expansion and campus projects at ECU, NC State and ECSU funded in Senate budget

The North Carolina Senate’s state budget proposal would spend millions of dollars over the next two years on projects across the state — from campus buildings to the zoo to renovations of state historic sites.

The North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro has been waiting for the money to green-light an expansion for new Asian and Australia exhibits, The News & Observer previously reported. The zoo would expand with an area for Asia first as long as the money is passed in the new state budget.

The Senate budget proposal includes $41.2 million for the zoo in the upcoming fiscal year and $33.7 million in the second year. Funding for the zoo was also in Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget proposal.

Here’s a breakdown of other high profile projects if the Senate budget becomes law:

▪ $76 million for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. It’s part of a $215 million project.

▪ $55 million for a new STEM building at N.C. State University in Raleigh. The total project cost is $80 million.

▪ $32 million for the UNC-Pembroke Health Sciences Center over the next two years. The total project cost is $91 million.

▪ $64 million over the next two years to Elizabeth City State University. The money would fund a number of projects at the HBCU, including a residence hall, sky bridge, dining facility and flight school.

▪ $500,000 each of the next two years for the renovation and expansion of the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

▪ The Edenton State Historic Site would get $300,000 for renovations to the Frinks House, former home of civil rights leader Golden Frinks.

▪ The USS North Carolina Battleship in Wilmington would get $1 million for mast repairs.

▪ The Bentonville State Historic Site would get $115,000 for renovations to the Harper House.

▪ The North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh would get $2.5 million for its Terrace & Green Project.

▪ Brunswick Town State Historic Site would get $3 million for shoreline stabilization.

▪ At the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, $1.1 million would go to the Memorial Galen Stone Hall.

▪ The N.C. State Fair would get $5 million in repairs and improvements.

For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Under the Dome politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it at link.chtbl.com/underthedomenc or wherever you get your podcasts.