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Virgin Islands National Park Announces New Cinnamon Campground Operator And Immediate Cleanup For Redevelopment

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By NPT Staff - May 8th, 2019
virgin islands, cinnamon bay, hurricane

Hurricane aftermath/NPS.

A new concessionaire has been found to run the Cinnamon Bay Campground and food and beverage concessions at Trunk Bay in Virgin Islands National Park.

Park staff say the concessions will now be managed by CinnOpCo, LLC, a company fully backed by philanthropist and Bloomberg, LP co-founder, Thomas F. Secunda. The previous concessionaire, Redwoods Park Company, LLC, and CinnOpCo have been working on a transfer agreement for the past several months.

On Friday, May 3, the National Park Service accepted the concessions change in ownership, ushering in a new plan for redevelopment and restoring public access to camping in the national park. The campground had been heavily damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria, which struck in the fall of 2017. CinnOpCo LLC planned to begin debris removal this week.

Park Superintendent Nigel Fields said the change in management is welcome.

“With the level of damage Cinnamon Bay sustained in the 2017 hurricanes, the Park Service is fortunate to have an operator that is in tune with the people of St. John, has a history of conservation advocacy and is willing to make the investment needed to restore Cinnamon as a revered treasure of the National Park System," he said.

Although much cleanup, debris removal, and rebuilding of the infrastructure remains ahead, Fields was optimistic in partnering with CinnOpCo and the company's shared vision to restore camping, cottages, food and retail service, as well as watersports rentals back to Cinnamon Bay.

However, the superintendent is urging the public to exercise caution when visiting Cinnamon Bay. Although the camping areas, restaurant, showers, and beach rental shop remain closed, park visitors have access to Cinnamon Bay Beach and the onsite porta johns during the campground cleanup. Visitors should adhere to posted safety signs and not enter restricted areas at Cinnamon Bay where workers, equipment, and large trucks will enter and exit the site.

The Park and CinnOpCo, will continue to provide regular updates, as the cleanup, restoration, and rebuilding will likely occur in phases over the next couple of years.

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