Structural Problems Befall Chisos Mountains Lodge At Big Bend National Park

Structural problems with the Chisos Mountains Lodge at Big Bend National Park have prompted the National Park Service to cancel the solicitation of a new concessions contract for the facility until a more thorough analysis can determine what repairs are needed and how much it might cost. That conclusion could lead to an entirely new lodging facility in the park located in West Texas.

"There's no threat of imminent building failure," Big Bend Superintendent Bob Krumenaker said Wednesday evening during a phone call. "Nothing's going to fall on anyone. The building is not going to fall apart."

Park officials have known there were some issues with the facility, due to obvious cracking in the walls. Early last year they hired a consulting firm to take a closer look at the lodge building to get a better idea of the extent of the problems. The initial engineering study recently provided the park stated that the main lodge building, which houses a restaurant, kitchen, employees' dining room, and the check-in lobby for guests while outbuildings contain the actual guest rooms, had problems with its foundation, walls, flooring, and questionable drainage. Cracks were found on both interior and exterior walls, indicative of movement.

The roof also had recent cracks, but "(N)o actual structural damage to primary building support elements (foundations, columns, beams, purlins)" were found, the report noted.

The engineers concluded that the problems were largely related to expansive soils that the building stands upon, though they recommended additional testing, including more soil borings, to better determine the cause and extent of the problems.

Krumenaker said the solicitation was canceled because the problems were not laid out in that document, and it wouldn't be right to surprise the bid-winning concessionaire with the possibility of losing a season while repairs or a new lodge building was constructed. While additional analysis is conducted, the existing concessionaire, Big Bend Resorts, LLC, part of the Forever Resorts corporation, will have its existing lease extended a year. There are no other lodging options inside the park.

"Even with what we know, we’re looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair the damage that we see, and we don’t know everything," the superintendent said, pointing out that many walls in the building would have to be replaced and one season, at least, likely would be lost to construction.

The problems won't require shutting down the restaurant or check-in facility at this point, and overnight lodging will continue unabated. At the same time, the findings of the report could present the park with an opportunity to bring its lodging facilities into the 21st century. The lodge was built in 1964, and modified "numerous times since then." 

"I don’t love the result, but it’s also an opportunity," said Krumenaker. “The sky is the limit in some ways, but we don’t want to get carried away…As long as we have to do something, let’s do it right" and make sure the project is both financially and environmentally sustainable.

The superintendent does not see a need to expand the current concessions footprint, but speculated that the configuration of a new lodge complex could change, perhaps using the footprint of some other non-historic buildings that currently house the park's visitor center, a store, and some motel units might be where a new main lodge could be constructed.  Displaced functions would then be replaced at the site of the aged lodge building, he added. This would allow the lodge and its essential dining facility to operate until its replacement is ready to operate. He emphasized that any scenario will be disruptive and therefore the Park Service will try to identify truly viable alternatives quickly.

Once the full extent of the problems have been identified, the park will reissue the concessions solicitation with the impacts of those needs clearly laid out.