Virgin Islands National Park is opening up opportunities for the redevelopment of Caneel Bay nearly a decade after back-to-back hurricanes Irma and Maria pummeled the area and forced parts of Caneel Bay Resort to close. Proposals will be for a lease of approximately 150 acres.
“We are eager to take this next step in the lease process,” said Virgin Islands National Park Superintendent Penelope Del Bene. “Restoring resort accommodations and visitor services at this exceptional location will boost the local economy by creating jobs and providing financial benefits for St. John and the wider Virgin Islands community.”
Laurance Rockefeller and Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc. originally established the Caneel Bay Resort as one of its “Rockresort” locations in the mid-1950s. Rockefeller discovered “Klein Kaneel,” a pristine beach on St. John, during a Caribbean voyage in 1952. In the following years, he transformed the existing Caneel Bay Plantation into an ecological resort where guests spent their days swimming, snorkeling, and exploring.
Rockefeller insisted on minimal amenities—no telephones, televisions, or locks on doors, and no building higher than a palm tree. Caneel Bay Resort has historically represented an early model of eco-tourist luxury accommodations. Hurricanes Irma and Maria severely damaged many guest rooms and other support structures in 2017, and the resort was no longer able to offer overnight accommodations.
In April 2024, a federal judge transferred the title to the Caneel Bay Resort to the Interior Department, ruling that EHI Acquisitions, LLC, the business that had been running the resort, was bound by the original agreement Rockefeller made with DOI in 1983. That agreement stated that Rockefeller's Jackson Hole Preserve had free use of the property and its facilities for 40 years. At the end of that time, September 2023, the buildings and their improvements were to be donated to the National Park Service.
A 2023 redevelopment plan presented by the Park Service and ultimately approved called for a "21st century eco-resort" able to offer up to 166 overnight accommodations, which was the limit of the resort before it was largely destroyed. However, before the Park Service could seek bids for the redevelopment, it had to address environmental contamination on the property, as testing had detected arsenic, elevated levels of certain pesticides, and more.
Now that the Park Service is able to accept proposals, those interested in redeveloping Caneel Bay can submit a response package with a proposal to rebuild, rehabilitate, improve and operate overnight lodging accommodations and amenities at the site.
The National Park Service will work with the selected operator to ensure environmental responsibility takes precedent alongside the luxury provided at the bay.
The operator will design a resort that aims to:
- Conserve the environment
- Preserve the natural and cultural resources
- Support the well‑being of the people of St. John and the U.S. Virgin Islands by strengthening sustainable economic opportunities.
- Educate visitors to the resort about the natural and cultural heritage of the Caneel Bay property and Virgin Islands National Park
Those planning to submit proposals will be able to tour the Caneel Bay site on June 4 & 5, 2026. All proposals are due by July 8, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. (ET).
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