Xanterra Parks and Resorts

Xanterra Parks & Resorts (formerly Amfac Resorts and Amfac Parks & Resorts) is a privately-owned United States park and resort management company based in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

The company is affiliated with Chicago-based JMB Realty which acquired large Hawaii landholder Amfac in 1988 and broke it up into independent corporations including Amfac Resorts. In 1995 Amfac bought the large national parks management concession TW Recreational Services from Flagstar. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n29_v29/ai_17352992 Flagstar to sell TW Recreational Services to Amfac Nation's Restaurant News, July 24, 1995] ] In 2002 Amfac changed its corporate name to Xanterra. [Resort Operator Amfac Changes Name to Xanterra Parks & Resorts - Hotel Online - April 5, 2002] The name comes from a combination of Xanadu and terra. [Xanterra:Grand Canyon Railway's New ownership - Territorial Times - Williams, Arizona - No. 1 Vol. XXIII]

The company specializes in tourism in U.S. National Parks, and have a presence in Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, and a number of other National and State park. They are contracted by the US National Parks Service to provide lodging and services in these parks. Accommodations and pricing vary widely and include quality hotel rooms, lodges, rustic cabins, motel-style lodging and camping . (Not all options are available in all parks.)

To provide service to throngs of tourists each year, while protecting these national parks, Xanterra has developed an extensive Environmental Program. Just a few of its components are decreasing fossil fuel use, increasing renewable energy use, recycling, and offering sustainable cuisine with a local focus.

Xanterra's corporate heritage includes the Fred Harvey operation which was acquired by Amfac in 1968. [Fred Harvey - Civilizer of the West - Territorial Times - Williams, Arizona - No. 1 Vol. XXIII] The most notable of the Harvey operations is the Grand Canyon concession including the El Tovar Hotel.

On June 24 2008, it was announced that Phillip Anschutz would buy Xanterra. Negotiations for the sale began on June 5 and the sale is expected to be completed in Fall 2008. [cite news| url=http://williamsnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=7837| title=New ownership for Xanterra, GC Railway| work=Williams News| date=2008-06-24| author=Whitehurst, Patrick| accessdate=2008-06-25| ]

Locations

*Death Valley National Park
**Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort
**Stovepipe Wells
**Scotty's Castle
*Grand Canyon National Park
*Yellowstone National Park
*Crater Lake National Park
*Mount Rushmore National Memorial
*Rocky Mountain National Park
*Bryce Canyon National Park
*Zion National Park
*Petrified Forest National Park
*Everglades National Park
*Silverado Country Club
*Grand Canyon Railway
*Ohio State Parks
**Burr Oak State Park
**Hueston Woods State Park
**Maumee Bay State Park
**Mohican State Park
**Punderson Manor State Park
**Salt Fork State Park
**Shawnee State Park
**Geneva State Park (Geneva Marina)

References

External links

* [http://www.xanterra.com Xanterra website]