Delaware North Awarded Grand Canyon Contract

The National Park Service awarded Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, a concessions contract to provide a variety of visitor services at Grand Canyon National Park beginning January 2015.

Delaware North has many years of experience at the Grand Canyon, since 1998 the company operated the concessions contract which included Grand Canyon Market Village Store and the Desert View Store.  The new contract expands the scope of operations and for the next 15 years, the Delaware North will provide the following services to park visitors:

• Grand Canyon Market Village: Grocery, retail, and food service
• Yavapai Lodge: Lodging, retail and food services
• Desert View: Retail, food service, grocery and service station
• Camper Services: Public laundry and Showers
• Trailer Village: RV Campground

Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga said, “Delaware North Companies has successfully operated the Grand Canyon Village Market providing grocery, food service and retail operations to park visitors and the Grand Canyon Community for 15 years.” Uberuaga indicated that the National Park Service looks forward to a continued working relationship with Delaware North. “I know they will continue to provide excellent service to park visitors and the community as they take on additional responsibilities under this new expanded contract.”

The Delaware North team is working together to prepare for this transition so that they can immediately begin to provide quality services for guests and to meet contract requirements.  GreenPath, the company’s sustainability initiative is weaved throughout the entire operation. In order to reduce the environmental footprint from the operations the park’s nearly five million visitors, Delaware North has made some  notable commitments.

•  Environmentally Preferable Purchasing will be made throughout the operation to support local, regional, and sustainable products.
  • Sustainable produce is certified USDA organic or locally grown within 400 miles.
  • Ensure that at least 30% of food purchased is local, sustainable, and/or organic.
  • Purchase 90% of ingredients within 190 miles of Area.
  • Provide 100% of coffee, tea, chocolate and hot chocolate from fair-trade or rain forest certified sources.
  • Offer at least 40% of its beverage menu items without added sugar, including a range of flavored still and sparkling waters, stevia-sweetened beverages and fruit-infused teas.
  • Ensure 70% or more of products are made in USA.
  • Dedicate 50% of Trading Post retail space to culturally-tied-tribe specific handicrafts, jewelry and artwork.

•  Achieve Zero Waste at the Grand Canyon National Park operations by 2025. Source reduction, recycling, organic waste diversion, and waste audits are components of an integrated solid waste plan.

• Reduce Water Use 40% by 2025.  The installation of low flow fixtures such as shower heads, faucets, toilets, urinals, and kitchen equipment are planned in order to reduce impacts from this semi-arid climate that only receives about 16 inches of rain and 60 inches of snow per year. 

• Reduce Energy Use 40% by 2025. A baseline energy audit followed by an energy assessment every four years will contribute toward identifying, prioritizing, and implementing projects that incorporate changing technology to conserve energy at the Grand Canyon.  Initial plans are to install programmable thermostats, LED lighting, motion sensors, incorporate LEED principles into facility projects, and promote alternative forms of transportation.

•  Environmental Messaging.  Communicating information to park guests and associates is an important element to help those visiting or working in the park to understand and do their part to protect Grand Canyon’s natural and cultural resources.  Educational and interpretive information will be conveyed using personal (tours, programs) and non-personal (signs, guest room directory, website, and social media) forms of communication.  Specific messages will be located throughout the operation to address waste, water, energy, wildlife, environmentally preferable products, and various other sustainability initiatives.