By Shelley Hanson, The Intelligencer
WHEELING — Those who have ever dreamed of sleeping with a pride of lions or getting to see the big cats up close and personal will get to do just that upon completion of the Gary E. West Pridelands next June.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the lion habitat and accompanying villas was held Thursday at Oglebay Park Resort’s Good Zoo.
The project includes construction of a 20,000 square-foot habitat for the lions connected to villas where guests can stay for an immersive experience. Large glass windows in the villas will provide expansive views of the lions in their habitats. At night guests will get to use night vision goggles to see the wild cats in action.
The lion habitat and villas will be part of a new area of the zoo dubbed “Outpost Africa” that will contain all of the facility’s wild animals from Africa including cheetahs, zebras, red river hogs and more.
Joe Greathouse, director of the Good Zoo, said the lion habitat will be one of the largest in the United States.