Changes in parking fees will take effect under a new concessions contract at Mount Rushmore National Memorial/Kurt Repanshek file photo
Parking fees at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota will reduce slightly under a new concessions contract, and better yet the parking pass will be good for one year.
The 10-year contract was retained by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, Inc. 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 percent discount for seniors on standard parking rate and free parking for active duty U.S. military. The Park 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 September 29, 2015, and accepted proposals through January 13, 2016. The Service expects operations to commence under the new contract on October 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.
Comments
The Mount Rushmore Society is a fundraising organization on behalf of the park. They have lost the parking contract to Xanterra. I would be interested to know whether its anticipated that the Xanterra parking concession fees will make up for the losses of the Society funding. Hard to see how those economics would work unless the Society is extremely inefficient.
The Mount Rushmore Society is a fundraising organization on behalf of the park. They have lost the parking contract to Xanterra. I would be interested to know whether its anticipated that the Xanterra parking concession fees will make up for the losses of the Society funding. Hard to see how those economics would work unless the Society is extremely inefficient.
What? You now have to pay to park at a national park? What on earth is going on?
You have had to pay to park at Rushmore for some time. I was told my annual pass wasn't good because the lot was privately owned. Obviously that isn't the case if the NPS is awarding the franchise. Go to Crazy Horse. Its far more interesting - but will cost you $20.
Entry to Mt. Rushmore is free. Parking is the only fee you'll pay.
Plenty of views from outside the "park" if you don't want to pay. Think of it as a way of keeping the Highway from being overwhelmed with parked cars/ RVs etc. If you've driven the area it's worth the $10 just to keep the road clear
Goodness, we've had to pay for parking since the built the new parking garage about ten years ago. It's awful. There is free parking, but it's about a half mile away and the hike is difficult for people with mobility problems. In the off-season, you can park on the street, but space is unlikely. Thank goodness the fees are going down and half price for seniors!