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SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, March 7, 2023—Destination Death Valley, LLC, a subsidiary of POWDR, has won the contract as concessioner for Stovepipe Wells Village in Death Valley National Park, Calif. PowderThe facilities include lodging, RV campground, food service, and retail, among others. As concessioner, POWDR will renovate and improve the facilities with renewable energy sources and increase overall service levels. The concession contract, awarded through a competitive process, will begin in January 2024 and last 10 years.

The Stovepipe Wells Village provides a significant portion of the services visitors seek at the park and is critical to providing a positive visitor experience. It was the first hotel in Death Valley National Park, opening in 1926, and is one of only three within the park's boundaries. Most of the current facilities at Stovepipe Wells were built in the 1950s and 1960s and were purchased by the National Park Service (NPS) in 1979. They have been operated by a concession contract since then.

“We’re very proud of our record of engaging people in the outdoors and providing outstanding service across our resorts and outdoor experiences,” said POWDR CEO Justin Sibley. “Death Valley is one of the natural wonders of the world and deserves services that do justice to the incredible and evocative landscape to anyone visiting the park.”

Death Valley National Park is home to some of the most extreme climate and topographic conditions on the planet (and at the opposite extremes of temperature, precipitation, and elevation to POWDR's winter resort portfolio). To make it more hospitable, POWDR has engaged award-winning landscape architects to enhance the village with natural features and delineated pathways. The design includes native groundcover, trees and shrubs that don’t require permanent irrigation, and interpretive elements explaining NPS conservation efforts. POWDR will also focus on improving food service and renovating the Toll Road restaurant.

POWDR’s plans include the installation of a large solar array at Stovepipe Wells Village, providing for nearly all electric demand and moving the location toward net zero carbon emissions. In instances where power must be shut off to the park, POWDR offered to provide backup power for park visitors during outages.

“Our approach to rejuvenating Stovepipe Wells comes from our shared value with the Park Service—to be stewards of the community and the land,” said Brian Stewart, president of parks at POWDR. “We look forward to serving the public in Death Valley National Park by offering an inspiring experience in an amazing location.”