KEYSTONE, SD: The National Park Service announced today the selection of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, Inc., for the 10-year concession contract at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Visitor services to be provided include food and beverage services, merchandise and souvenir sales, and parking garage services. The requirements of the new contract will allow for improved customer flow in the food and beverage and retail area, quicker egress from the parking garage due to the addition of self-pay stations, a 50% discount for seniors on standard parking rate and free parking for active duty U.S. military. The Service also reduced the standard parking rate from $11 to $10 for the life of the contract, and the parking pass will be valid for one year from the date of purchase.
The new contract results from a solicitation process required by the National Park Service Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998. The Service released the prospectus on Sept. 29, 2015, and accepted proposals through Jan. 13, 2016. The Service expects operations to commence under the new contract onOct. 15, 2016.
The prospectus merged the parking, food and beverage, and retail operations that currently operate under two separate concession contracts. Xanterra, a Colorado-based company, is the current concessioner for the food and beverage and retail operations. The Mount Rushmore Society is the current concessioner for the parking operations.
In addition to the operations at Mount Rushmore, Xanterra holds concession contracts at Yellowstone National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Glacier National Park, and Zion National Park.
"We congratulate Xanterra Parks and Resorts, Inc., and look forward to continuing to work with them in providing unique visitor experiences at Mount Rushmore National Memorial," said Superintendent Cheryl Schreier. "At the Memorial, all visitors interact with the concession operations making the selection of a company with the qualifications and experience of Xanterra especially important."
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
