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Re: So long DNC! The National Park Service (NPS) Selects Yosemite Hospitality, LLC (a subsidiary of Aramark) for Primary Concession Contract at Yosemite National Park

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From the National Park Service:

June 17, 2015

National Park Service Selects Yosemite Hospitality, LLC (a subsidiary of Aramark) for Primary Concession Contract

Fifteen-Year Contract includes providing overnight accommodations, food and beverage, retail, and other related services to park visitors

The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Yosemite Hospitality, LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark, to receive the new primary concession contract for providing visitor services in Yosemite National Park. The 15-year contract – the largest single concession contract in the NPS – is expected to begin on March 1, 2016, and will include overnight accommodations, food and beverage operations, retail sales, fuel sales, bike and raft rentals, and a variety of other recreational activities throughout the park.

“We’re very excited about bringing on Aramark to operate our primary concessions,” stated Yosemite Superintendent Don Neubacher. “Aramark brings tremendous resources to the table and has extensive experience in operating concessions at many other national parks. We believe they’ll be a great partner with us at Yosemite as we work to implement the vision of the Merced River Plan.”

Aramark has gross revenues of $14.8 billion and employs more than 270,000 employees in 21 countries and currently holds eight other NPS contracts with gross revenues of over $110 million in 2013, including concessions at Lake Mead and Glen Canyon National Recreation Areas, as well as Mesa Verde, Olympic, Denali, and Glacier Bay National Parks.

Aramark will provide a variety of services to the public, including continuing to operate the Yosemite Valley shuttle system free of charge to all visitors. Additionally, under the new contract, concession operations will achieve several operational improvements including reducing vehicle traffic in Yosemite Valley, increasing water conservation, reducing electricity and fuel usage, and enhancing food and beverage operations for visitors.

The contract has been sent to Aramark for signature and, once signed, will be transmitted to Congress for a 60-day notice period as stipulated by law. After this period, the NPS will sign and award the contract, then work with the existing concessioner and Aramark to complete an orderly transition.

DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc. has operated under the existing contract since 1993, grossing over $146 million in 2014. They recently completed a well-received upgrade to the furnishings in all rooms at Yosemite Lodge and have operated and maintained two of the park’s National Historic Landmarks and major visitor attractions, The Ahwahnee and the Wawona Hotel, completing numerous upgrades to these facilities over the course of their contract. “Throughout its tenure as the park’s primary concessioner, DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite, Inc. provided quality services and unforgettable experiences to millions of visitors,” stated Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher. “We appreciate all of their work.”

Prior to 1998, concession law provided broad rights granting preferential right of renewal to incumbent concessioners. Since 1998, with the passage of an act reforming concessions management, issuance of most concession contracts generally became subject to fair and open competition with no preferential right of renewal for the incumbent and bids are evaluated and awarded via a competitive process.

For information about Aramark, contact David Freireich at 215-238-4078 or freireich-david@aramark.com. Visit them online at www.aramark.com. Information about Yosemite National Park can be found at www.nps.gov/YOSE.



Since DNC had trademarked many of the historic Yosemite Names, several name changes will also occur:

Ahwahnee Hotel will become White Wolf Lodge

Half Dome will become Dome of the Rock

Vernal Fall will become Ernest Fall

Nevada Fall will become California Fall

Yosemite Falls will be allowed to keep its name.

Thankfully there have been no plans to change anything about the Curry Pizza Deck!
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chicagocwright

Thankfully there have been no plans to change anything about the Curry Pizza Deck!

From the press release:

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Yosemite NPS
enhancing food and beverage operations for visitors
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ttilley
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chicagocwright

Thankfully there have been no plans to change anything about the Curry Pizza Deck!

From the press release:

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Yosemite NPS
enhancing food and beverage operations for visitors

I hope the food with get enhanced. For a special treat last year we went to the Ahwahnee for brunch and it was horrible. My son wanted pancakes and the website said there would be pancakes at the time we were there and there weren't any. They made him 3 tiny pancakes in the kitchen and charged us full price for the brunch and he only had the pancakes. After having brunch in the Mural Room in Grand Teton Lodge, the Ahwahnee brunch is so disappointing and twice the price.
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chicagocwright

Thankfully there have been no plans to change anything about the Curry Pizza Deck!


Except for the pizza itself. pizza slice
The secret recipe for Curry Pizza Deck pizza (a DNC trade secret) is leaving the park with DNC. I'm sure Aramark will substitute their own scrumptious pizza recipe in its place. Just don't expect it to taste the same as the fabled DNC version of Curry Pizza Deck pizza.

Hope you can make it back to Yosemite before March 1st of next year to have your last bites of the fabled Curry Pizza Deck pizza before it goes away for good. You should really have had some during your last visit. Now you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't make it back in time.

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If they get rid of the banana splits, I'm going to hurt somebody.
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AnotherDave
If they get rid of the banana splits, I'm going to hurt somebody.

Where do you get banana splits?
Curry dining pavilion/coffee corner/ice cream shop. Mmmmmmmm
I have gotten ice cream there but I never looked to see if they had banana splits. Will have to get one the next time I am there. Thanks.
My hope is that employees at all levels from housekeeping to management will have better working conditions and relationships which should make for a happier workplace and in turn make the visitors happier campers. As a 21 season volunteer I knew too many people in all areas who were unhappy with their jobs but wanted to be in the park. I also know managers, house cleaners and others who left each other and everyone they came in contact with uplifted with their smiles and good attitudes. I just feel that DNC had run its course and change is good.
Looks yummy. I guess I need to go to Curry more often when I am there.
So DNC spends thousands upgrading the Lodge only to have another company reap the benefits. Not that I have any love for DNC, but that seems pretty shady.
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hotrod4x5
So DNC spends thousands upgrading the Lodge only to have another company reap the benefits. Not that I have any love for DNC, but that seems pretty shady.

Not shady at all.

A. As part of their existing deal with NPS, DNC was REQUIRED to upgrade the Lodge rooms but it had been delayed due to in no small part to the Yosemite Valley Plan and the lawsuit that almost derailed that plan.
B. It wasn't that major of an upgrade. They just spiffed up the rooms which all lodging operators should do every five years or so. Still no A/C, still no more modern electronic door locks.
C. They knew full well the new awarding of contracts process that was in place since 1998.

NPS didn't do anything wrong nor shady by awarding the contract to another company (unlike how DNC got awarded their initial contract back in the early 1990's).
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plawrence
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hotrod4x5
So DNC spends thousands upgrading the Lodge only to have another company reap the benefits. Not that I have any love for DNC, but that seems pretty shady.

Not shady at all.
NPS didn't do anything wrong nor shady by awarding the contract to another company (unlike how DNC got awarded their initial contract back in the early 1990's).

I think the change is good and hopefully in the new contract NPS has added a clause to retain the names of the properties. If anything, I would recommend a 5 year contract instead of a 15 year one and sincerely hope that DNC does not damage any of the properties on the way out....
On a serious note, does anybody know where the so called naming rights dispute stands?
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JohnC
On a serious note, does anybody know where the so called naming rights dispute stands?

On a serious note???

There's no naming-rights dispute except in the eyes of DNC. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

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Won't that become an issue for the court to decide now that DNC won't be continuing the contract? I have to assume DNC has no reason to settle anything now.
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JohnC
Won't that become an issue for the court to decide now that DNC won't be continuing the contract? I have to assume DNC has no reason to settle anything now.


If DNC decides to sue over this, they'll be laughed out of federal court. It would be the very definition of a frivolous lawsuit. Not to mention the bad-will it would create between DNC and NPS. They could just about kiss goodbye to all of their other concessions with the National Park Service when those concession contracts come up for renewal.

(And who knows, their stance might have cost them the Yosemite contract already.)

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While I don't disagree with the sentiment of it being frivolous, I've learned never to be surprised at what comes out of a US courtroom any more.
who do I call to find out if my name has been changed?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/2015 06:47PM by mkbgdns.
I'm relieved. I was afraid Disney would get the contract and rename the Ahwahnee the Mickey Mouse Hotel.
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