The zoo released poll numbers Tuesday showing that two-thirds of prospective Salt Lake County voters likely would open their pocketbooks for one of the largest renovations in Hogle history.

Those results are meant to help sway the Salt Lake County Council, which barred the east-side zoo from the ballot last summer.

"It clearly shows that the constituents of the county want a voice in this," Zoo Director Craig Dinsmore said. "They want a chance to determine where they would like to see the zoo go."

The Hogle-paid poll shows 68 percent of voters - taken from a sample of 400 county residents who intend to cast ballots this fall - would back the zoo bond. That compares with 15 percent who would not.

The survey was conducted by the California-based Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates public-policy research firm and has a 4.9 percentage-point margin of error.

County Council members remain divided on the bond - Democrats for, Republicans against - but the odds are tilting toward the zoo.

GOP Councilman Marv Hendrickson appears ready to support a ballot question, which could flip the slim 5-4 council majority that kept the zoo from last year's election.

The bond would pay for a massive makeover of the animal park, including an expansive arctic exhibit and a lifelike African savanna. Taxpayers would shoulder $65 million and private donations would pick up an extra $20 million.

So far, the zoo has raised about $7.2 million in donations.

While the council pitched some questions at the zoo Tuesday - Councilman David Wilde: How long would it take for Hogle to complete its vision without tax dollars? Dinsmore's reply: The work wouldn't get done - county leaders spent little time debating. That will come next month.

Hogle's campaign coordinator, Maura Carabello, said the council simply needs to trust taxpayers.

"Citizens are smart," she said, "and know what they want to do with their pocketbooks."

jstettler@sltrib.com