Polar bears' new digs at Como Zoo officially open

A modern and more spacious polar bear exhibit at St. Paul's Como Zoo officially opened Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and visits by hundreds of patrons.

The exhibit, called Polar Bear Odyssey, is seven times larger than the old space that housed the twin polar bears Neil and Buzz.

The old exhibit was built in 1984. Zoo officials said it was considered state-of-the-art at the time it debuted. But over the years, many visitors complained that the bears didn't have enough space.

The new exhibit cost more than $15 million, and took two years to build. Neil and Buzz lived at the Detroit Zoo during the construction period.

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