The National Park Service (NPS) recently issued a prospectus seeking proposals for a 10-year contract operating a historic bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park.
The national park is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, a town of nearly 40,000 located approximately 55 miles southwest of Little Rock, the state capital.
The Hot Springs area enjoys a lengthy history as a place of healing and was at one time home to numerous bathhouses, many of which were primitive wooden huts with access to the thermal waters. The initial facilities fell into disrepair and were replaced over the years with improved bathhouses that attracted a more upscale clientele.
The Buckstaff, the bathhouse subject to the NPS proposal, has been in continuous operation since opening in 1912 and is one of several magnificent historic buildings that comprise Bathhouse Row in downtown Hot Springs. With 27,000 square feet on three floors, the bathhouse is generally considered the best preserved of the eight remaining Bathhouse Row buildings.
The other seven include a craft brewery, National Park Service visitor center, a store and resource center, and a hotel. One of the bathhouses is currently being rehabilitated. Only one building on Bathhouse Row other than the Buckstaff currently operates as a bathhouse.
The winning bidder of the contract will be required to offer traditional bathhouse services, including tub bathing, sitz baths, vapor cabinets, needle showers and hot packs, along with massage therapy services. The concessionaire is authorized, but not required, to offer merchandise sales, manicures, pedicures, facials and paraffin treatments. Neither the required or authorized services represent a change from the current operation.
The estimated initial investment required is $315,000, a relative bargain compared to many major national park contracts that entail a considerable investment in personal property.
In this case most of the real property is a component of the bathhouse and owned by the National Park Service rather than the current concessionaire. The National Park Service estimates bathhouse revenues in 2027, the first year of the contract, at between $2.1 million to $2.5 million. The contract requires that the concessionaire contribute 1.5 percent of gross receipts to a Component Renewal Reserve to pay for repairs and replacement of infrastructure such as roofs and plumbing. In addition, a minimum franchise fee (essentially, a rental fee for use of the property) of 6 percent of gross receipts is required.
Bidders may offer a higher percentage to improve their chance of being awarded the contract.
Questions regarding the concession proposal are due in writing no later than October 31. Email [email protected]. Notice of intent to propose is due at the same email address no later than 12 p.m. (Central Time) on December 25. Submission of electronic proposals are due no later than 4 p.m. (Central Time) on January 5, 2026.
David and Kay Scott live in Valdosta, Georgia, and are authors of “Exploring the Oregon Trail” (Globe Pequot). Visit them at blog.valdosta.edu/dlscott
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