The National Park Service is searching for an operator for a 10-year concession contract at Lake Mead Recreation Area.
A site visit last week took potential buyers around Willow Beach including the marina, picnic and fishing areas, employment housing and around at the lower level of Hoover Dam to see where the raft tours operate.
The contract includes guided raft tours to Hoover Dam, a marina, boat rentals, houseboat lodging, food and beverage stand, retail and campgrounds at Willow Beach and Black Canyon.
A new required service of the contract is a floating hotel that will be in the marina, said Cheryl Marsh, acting co-chief of commercial services for the National Parks Service.
Based on market trends, the National Parks Service discovered more people would visit Willow Beach if there was another accommodation besides a campground and an RV lot.
Willow Beach is below Hoover Dam, where the Colorado River feeds into Lake Mohave, the National Service said.
Lake Mead Recreation Area has eight commercial services contracts, including one lease in Cottonwood Cove, Marsh said. Most parks have one or two commercial service contacts with small business opportunities that operate within the park.
Private companies work with the National Parks Service to offer services to the park visitors that parks do not provide directly, Marsh said in an email to the Sun. By including the private sector, the service broadens the economic base of the region and the communities around the parks.
“We’re one of the most diverse recreation areas out in the park service,” Marsh said. “We get a lot of traffic here for people who are coming to hang in Vegas…then they want to get out in nature on their way to the Grand Canyon.”
The contract includes what projects might be needed once the company or business take ownership, Marsh said. A work order tracking tool helps the business owner know what financial investment will be like.
“These services in all of our contracts have to be necessary for the visitor and appropriate for the park,” Marsh said.
The Commercial Services Program at the National Parks Service administers almost 500 concession contracts that bring in over $1 billion a year, officials said. NPS concessioners employ more than 25,000 people during peak seasons.
The National Parks Service will select the proposal with the highest overall score as the best proposal, the service said.
Notice of intent to propose is due Dec. 27 and proposals are due Jan. 28, 2025.