Concessions Management

Concession operations in national parks have existed since 1872, when the Yellowstone Park Act authorized the Secretary of the Interior to grant leases to private persons to develop visitor accommodations and facilities. This development was encouraged to fulfill a need and assist in promoting park awareness. National Park Service (NPS) policy limits development of public accommodations, facilities, and services to those that are:

• Necessary and appropriate for public use and enjoyment of the unit of NPS in which they are located; and
• Consistent to the highest practicable degree with the preservation and conservation of the unit's resources and values.

A concessions operation is a way of providing commercial visitor services such as food, lodging, and retail through a third party (concessioner) within a national park. Concession contracts are generally valid for 10 years or less but can extend for as many as 20 years. Concession contracts specify the range of facilities accommodation, and services types the concessioner agrees to offer. The rates the concessioner can charge for these services are approved by the National Park Service and must be comparable to those under similar conditions outside the park.

In Yosemite, the Branch of Concessions Management manages three concessioners authorized to do business in Yosemite National Park: Yosemite Hospitality, LLC (a subsidiary of Aramark); Best's Studio, Inc. (The Ansel Adams Gallery); and the El Portal Market (Yosemite Hospitality).

Contracts and Associated Documents

El Portal Market (Yosemite Hospitality, LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark)

• Concession Contract (November 2016) [10 MB PDF]

Overnight Accommodations, Food and Beverage, Retail, Auto Fuel,
Recreation Activities, and Related Services (Yosemite Hospitality, LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark)

• Concession Contract (March 2016) [45 MB PDF]