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SPRINGDALE, Washington County — Zion National Park is making its first concessioner change in over 50 years.
Park officials announced Tuesday they've selected Destination Zion Lodge LLC to operate food, beverage, retail and lodging services beginning in 2025, following a concession contract bidding process that began in September. It will replace Xanterra Parks and Resorts, Inc., which has operated the park's concession services since 1972.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, other than it's a 10-year contract. The change isn't expected to impact visitors, but the concessions services are certainly a noticeable part of the park.
"The operation of the Zion Lodge concession contract will provide a significant portion of the services visitors seek at the park and is critical to providing a positive visitor experience," park officials said in a statement.
Destination Zion Lodge is a subsidiary of Park City-based Powdr, which owns and operates several ski, snowboard and other outdoor recreation resorts scattered across North America — and, soon, Australia. These include Snowbird and Woodward Park City in Utah.
Powdr CEO Justin Sibley said in a statement the company is "honored and excited" to take on Zion National Park concessions. The company said it plans to "enhance Zion's offerings" by upgrading the park's lodging facilities, expanding "sustainable" food and beverage options and offering new, "innovative" educational programs about the park's geology, ecology and cultural history.
The changes are expected to offer new job opportunities in the region, though, it's unclear how many new jobs the change will create.
"Zion is a true national treasure and we are committed to being responsible stewards of this remarkable landscape," Sibley added. "Through our collaborative partnership with the National Park Service, we will work to enhance the visitor experience while minimizing our impact on the environment."
Xanterra operates services at eight other U.S. parks, including Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone national parks.
More than 4.6 million people visited Zion National Park last year, making it the third-most visited national park in 2023. It surpassed 5 million visits for the first time in 2021.
