Crystal Cove bids wanted

The California State Parks department on Thursday began requesting

proposals from organizations that want to operate two restaurants and

13 historic cottages at Crystal Cove State Park.

The department is offering a 20-year contract for a minimum bid of

$30,000 a year or 2% of annual gross receipts from restaurant and

cottage operations, whichever is greater.

The parks department is in the midst of a project to restore 22 of

Crystal Cove’s 46 cottages.

The remainder will be restored in a later phase, but it’s unclear

where funding will come from.

Bidding is open to businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Anyone interested must attend one of two meetings scheduled in

July, and the deadline to submit bids is Sept. 21.

The successful bidder will develop and maintain the restaurants

and cottages and also will be required to set aside 12% of gross

receipts in an account for future maintenance and upgrades.

The bid request could be preempted by a bill state Sen. John

Campbell proposed last week.

His legislation would turn over the cottage restoration and

operations to a nonprofit organization. That bill has not yet been

heard by a Senate committee.

For information on the California State Parks department’s bid

request, call Callie Hurd at (916) 653-4574 or visit

https://www.parks.ca.gov/concessions.

-- Alicia Robinson