Cape Royal on the North Rim provides a panorama up, down, and across the canyon. With seemingly unlimited vistas to the east and west, it is popular for both sunrise and sunset. (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)
GRAND CANYON, Ariz.— The National Park Service announces the selection of North Rim Hospitality, LLC, to provide lodging, food and beverage, retail, and other services at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park under a concession contract that will be effective for 15 years from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2038.
North Rim Hospitality, LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark, is currently serving as the concessioner at the North Rim. In addition to the North Rim, they operate many other visitor services concession contracts throughout the National Park Service and this new contract will ensure continuity of services.
Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable voiced his support for the contract announcement, stating, “We look forward to continuing the primary concessions services Aramark has been providing for the last several years on the North Rim. Aramark has long standing experience operating concessions at many other national parks, and we believe this partnership will help us implement the vision of the park for providing diverse opportunities for exceptional visitor experiences.”
The North Rim currently sees approximately 300,000 visitors on an annual basis, and most of these visitors rely on the concession operations due to the remote location and limited services. At 8,000 feet (2,438 m.) in elevation, there is one lodge on the North Rim, the Grand Canyon Lodge, that provides lodging, food and beverage service, as well as retail for visitors.
Solicitation of concession business opportunities within national park sites and the selection of best proposals are routine processes for in the National Park Service, dictated by the 1998 Concessions Management Improvement Act (1998 Act). By law, all contracts are issued through a fully open and competitive process, awarding contracts to those with the best proposal.
The contract has been sent to the selectee for execution and once signed, will be transmitted to Congress for a 60-day notice period as stipulated by law. After this period, the National Park Service will sign and award the contract.
— Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.