BBQ vendor has beef with zoo

Lowry Park Zoo managers liked Tyree Tolson's barbecue so much they persuaded him to move his business from Seffner about six years ago.

He set up shop in a red shack near the Jungle Carousel and drew raves for his barbecue chicken, beef and pork sandwiches. It wasn't long, Tolson says, before the zoo's cut of the business grew to about $100,000 a year.

Then last month, Chief Operating Officer David Zimmerman handed Tolson a letter.

You're out, it said. Pack up your stuff and be gone by Sept. 10.

"This whole thing stinks," said Tolson, 62. "Something's wrong when they are getting $100,000 a year and they want you out."

Zoo officials say the decision not to sign a new annual contract was a business move. Like businesses across the nation, the zoo is looking for ways to increase profit in a trying economy.

The zoo has an annual budget of $20 million, and about $3.2 million of that comes from the sale of food and gifts, said Rachel Nelson, a zoo spokeswoman.

Tolson's Barbeque is the last private restaurant vendor at the zoo. In 2006, the zoo replaced the McDonald's by the entrance with Garden Grille, a cafeteria-style eatery that features steak burgers and chicken fingers.

The zoo just opened Safari Lodge, a casual restaurant with gourmet sandwiches, pasta and ice cream. Diners can watch elephants and zebras while eating passion fruit-mango shrimp and other upscale entrees at Reilly's Reserve.

Visitors can get pizza and hot dogs at Grub & Grog or quesadillas and gourmet salads at Paradise Cafe. The restaurants all are operated by the zoo.

Tolson doesn't want to leave the zoo. He enjoys the people, and customers seem to love the food. Some even come for takeout.

Tolson thinks a couple of top zoo managers have wanted him out since realizing how much he makes.

He thought he had an ally in former zoo President Lex Salisbury. The zoo chief regularly bought barbecue for friends and for visitors from out of the country.

Salisbury resigned in December after Mayor Pam Iorio called for an audit that found he used the taxpayer-supported zoo to help build a private animal park.

With the zoo getting so much attention, Tolson decided to take his case to city hall.

He's not suggesting the zoo did anything illegal: He just thinks it's wrong.

Tolson wrote letters to the mayor and city council members.

He spoke at a Tampa City Council meeting last week.

Councilman Charlie Miranda appeared particularly concerned.

Later that day, acting zoo director Craig Pugh wrote a letter to Miranda.

The zoo opened a 17,000-square-foot event pavilion with a centralized kitchen, he wrote. The zoo can cut the cost of food preparation and overhead.

Pugh says the zoo pays for utilities and building upkeep at Tolson's place.

"It is essential that the zoo operate as efficiently and effectively as possible," he wrote.

Miranda now says the zoo acted appropriately in closing down Tolson.

Simply put, the zoo kicked him out to make a little more money.

"It came down to that," Miranda said.

Said Santiago Corrada, the city's representative on the zoo board: "There's not much else I can say or do."

Tolson isn't leaving the area. He has opened up a barbecue place nearby at 902 W. Busch Blvd.

He still hasn't given up on Lowry Park Zoo, though.

"I am not going to lay down and take it," he said.