 In a press release accompanying the facility's grand opening announcement Morris was quoted as saying, “Wonders of Wildlife is an inspirational journey around the world that celebrates the role of hunters and anglers as America’s true conservation heroes.”  The facility opened to the public under its current name and configuration on September 22, 2017.In attendance at the opening event were prominent North American conservation leaders and numerous celebrities including U.S. President Jimmy Carter, U.S. President George W. Bush, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Costner, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Easton Corbin, and many others.More than 40 conservation groups, including the National Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, National Wild Turkey Federation and National Geographic Society, partnered with the Wonders of Wildlife project, which was nearly a decade in development and construction.