Lion habitat features big cats that worked at MGM

The Associated Press, Wednesday, December 26, 2012, 3:22pm (PST)

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Dozens of lions that used to entertain tourists at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas now have a new day job.

The Las Vegas Sun reports (http://bit.ly/UsXjFH ) Keith Evans recently opened his Lion Habitat Ranch in nearby Henderson, Nev., about a year after the Las Vegas Strip casino shuttered its own lion attraction to make way for renovations.

Evans has been keeping big cats at his ranch for more than 40 years. He transported them to the MGM Grand each day for 11 years until the closure.

His new attraction includes glass enclosures and safety barriers to accommodate about 40 lions, including seven cubs that were born in November.

The habitat is open weekends. Admission is $20 for adults, while one child under the age of 12 gets in free for each paying adult.