Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • L48

48 bay BY SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE When it opened in 1959 in Tampa, Busch Gardens was just a beer garden that featured free admission, bird shows and a devotion to the products of then-owner Anheuser- Busch. After 60 years, the theme park is now the coaster king of Florida. It is spread across 300 acres and contains one of the premiere zoos with thousands of animals representing more than 200 species. But back in 1959, there were just four employees and four parrots. Free beer samples were handed out after the brewery tour.

To reach the brewery, guests ascended the to the The 86-foot escalator, billed as one of the tallest in the world, transported guests to the observation deck on the roof of the brewery to begin tours. The new Iron Gwazi roller coaster, set to open in the spring of 2021, occupies the space that was once the brewery. Instead of a thrilling escalator, the steel and wood Iron Gwazi will be the tallest hybrid roller coaster in North America and the steepest and fastest hybrid roller coaster in the world. Next door to the Iron Gwazi, however, there is still a taste of Busch midcentury roots and architecture at the Garden Gate Cafe. Back when the brewery tours first started, guests visited the Hospitality House for free samples of Anheuser-Busch products.

That building, which has a seven-sided roof and cantilevered deck overlooking the lagoon, was renamed the Garden Gate Cafe and is still in use as a seasonal dining location for many of the special events. It is next to the Busch Gardens, the area now called the Bird Gardens area. Just like its beginning, it still has lush tropical gardens and exotic birds, along with more recent additions like the Australian-themed Walkabout Way area. The mission as a zoo is also steeped in its early years. In 1965, it was expanded to include a vast 29-acre enclosure where animals could roam.

This was revolutionary at a time when zoo animals were more likely put in cages for display. The multispecies enclosure that was named the became the largest free-roaming enclosed habitat outside of Africa. To allow guests to see the animals, a monorail was added, leading to Busch Gardens adopting the motto people are caged and animals run The new concept was a big hit with the public, and by 1968 Busch Gardens was the top tourist attraction in Florida, drawing 3 million visitors a year. A few years later, Mickey Mouse moved in up the road on Interstate 4 and stole Busch crown when Walt Disney World opened in 1971. Although the facility still offered beer tastings and brewery tours, Busch Gardens began charging $1.25 for admission in 1970 to offset the cost of the attractions it was starting to add.

By 1987, it was $17.95, and it is now more than $100 for a single-day ticket. These days, the park boasts of the accreditation awarded by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the independent accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and eight other countries. The association does a rigorous review of the animal care, keeper training, safety and educational programs, conservation efforts and more. The Serengeti Plain animal habitat that opened in 1965 has expanded from 29 acres to 65. It is home to zebras, antelopes, the reticulated giraffe, Ankole- Watusi, addax, impala, ostriches, marabou storks and white and black rhinos, including a 200-pound baby white rhino named Winnifred who was born there in 2017.

Other sections of the park also have free- ranging animal habitats that include tigers, cheetahs, lions, orangutans and hippos. There are some 12,000 animals in all. REVISITING BUSCH GARDENS HISTORY The former Hospitality House at Busch Gardens, which was the go-to spot for free samples of Anheuser-Busch products, is today known as the Garden Gate Cafe. Early visitors to the Tampa park would ride the to the escalator to the roof of the Anheuser-Busch brewery to embark on a tour. Times file photos.