Patrons take in the Saluda Skyride at a VIP event.
The Riverbanks Zoo held a VIP event to open the Saluda Skyride Thursday, August 28.
“It’s live and that’s pretty exciting,” Riverbanks Zoo CEO Tommy Stringfellow said. “We’ve been working hard and making sure we were ready for those who were going to start coming tomorrow to see it. Having those who supported us to make this happen and see their faces and to see their investment means a lot to us. We depended on their support, and we want to make them proud.”
Those in attendance, including Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, City Manager Teresa Wilson, and Senator Tameika Isaac Devine had the opportunity to be some of the first to ride the new attraction.
“It’s awesome,” Rickemann said. “Riding over the river like that was unbelievable. It was beautiful. When it’s all said and done, it’s going to be a real asset.”
The Skyride is part of the “Bridge to the Wild” project, a $100 million plus project that will expand the zoo to the west side of the campus where a restaurant will be added along with exhibits to house red pandas, tigers, bald eagles, and orangutangs. The project has been a collaboration between different entities in Richland and Lexington County to help fun the project.
James Hammond (left), Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, and Deans Fawcett enjoy a ride on the Saluda Skyride.
“Having the City of Columbia and the City of West Columbia in two different counties, divided by the river, has been a challenge,” Stringfellow said. “We are so proud that we were able to pull together as one. We are fortunate to be in two municipalities that realized we were better together as one. We want visitors to come see what we have to offer on both sides of the river.”
According to the zoo’s press release, the Skyride has the capacity to transport 1,600 guests per hour. It has 19 carts that can hold eight people per cart and is stroller and wheel chair accessible.
The entire project is expected to bring in $175 million annually.
“We love the zoo,” Rickenmann said. “The zoo is such a big attraction. It helps really draw for our restaurants, retail, and businesses downtown. It’s a major part to why we are seeing such an increase in tourism.
“It enhances and gives people more reason to stay and visit in our community. One thing we’ve struggled with is we are so convenient to so many parts of the state that people come for the day. Now they have a reason to stay for the night because there is more to do.”
Stringfellow said the Skyride was scheduled to open three weeks ago, but the rain pushed the date back to Labor Day weekend.
“I’m still trying to pinch myself that it’s open,” Stringfellow said. “We’ve been talking and working on it forever. I wasn’t sure what to think the first time I rode it. I was riding something that was a vision, a dream 12 to 15 years ago. I’m trying to wake up from it. I’m so proud of the team that made it work, even when we had doubts. I’m more proud of the team than the product. The end result is a beautiful Skyride. I hope they are as pleased about it as I am.”
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