Joe Manchin III, Governor

Frank Jezioro, Director

News Release : March 22, 2006

Hoy Murphy, Public Information Officer (304) 558-3381 hoymurphy@wvdnr.gov

Contact: Ken Caplinger, Parks and Recreation Section Acting Chief (304) 558-2764 parks@westvirginia.com

Private Sector Asked to Propose Improvements

At Canaan Valley Resort State Park

  The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is planning the March 26 advertisement and subsequent release of a Request for Expressions of Interest and Qualifications (RFI)  to begin gauging private sector interest in significant new investment in Canaan Valley Resort State Park in Tucker County .  Ads will be placed in various newspapers beginning that date.

  Depending upon the response s to the RFI, the State may then move to the issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) as a prelude to awarding a new contract.  The entire process could take up to a year.  DNR  expects that the current contractor, Guest Services, Inc., and various other entities will respond. The State and Guest Services agree that now is a good time to determine interest in new investment that is not feasible under the remaining seven years of the current contract.

  A copy of the Request for Expressions of Interest and Qualifications document can be requested after March 26 by contacting West Virginia Parks and Recreation at 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Building 3, Room 714, Charleston, West Virginia 25305, or by calling 304-558-2764.

**DNR**