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FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS JANUARY 8, 2014 | 9

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Diners inish their meals at Russell’s Fireside Dining Room in Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier National Park. BEACON FILE PHOTO

Xanterra Sets Up Shop in Columbia Falls

Company will oicially
improve food and beverage services at store buildings in Columbia Falls, be-
take over concessions in Heidi’s in Many Glacier and the Two hind Montana Cofee Traders. He said
Medicine Campstore; improve sustain- one building would be turned into an ad-
Glacier Park Jan. 15
able and healthy food options; and add ministrative oice while the other would
two handicap accessible tour buses to become a warehouse for storage.
the Red Bus leet. Xanterra must also es- The historic Red Bus leet, which in-
tablish a Red Bus maintenance fund.
cludes 33 White Motor Company tour
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
The new contract buses built between

Xanterra Parks and Resorts will of- includes a minimum 1936 and 1939, will be “OUR COMPANY
icially take over the Glacier National franchise fee of 1 per- moved from its garage
Park concessions contract on Jan. 15, cent that will be re- in East Glacier Park to IS RESPECTED
ending a decades-long relationship be- turned to the govern- a hangar at the Glacier
tween the park and the previous conces- ment every year based Jet Center, at Glacier THROUGHOUT THE
sioner, Glacier Park Inc. In the coming on annual gross re- Park International Air-
weeks, Xanterra oicials hope to set up ceipts, which are ex- port. Ducharme said INDUSTRY AS BEING

administrative oices in Columbia Falls, pected to be approxi- the buses would be VERY SUSTAINABLE
which will become the company’s Gla- mately $18.5 million.
stored and maintained
cier Division headquarters. The com- McCaleb, who there during the 2014 AND WE WANT TO
pany will also move the historic Red Bus served as the general season while Xanterra
leet from East Glacier Park to Kalispell.
manager for Xanterra’s builds a new “state-of- BRING THOSE PRO-
“We are excited about establishing Yellowstone operation the-art maintenance
ourselves in Columbia Falls and becom- for 14 years, said the facility” in Columbia GRAMS TO GLACIER
ing a part of the community,” said James public might not notice Falls. Something visi-
NATIONAL PARK.”
McCaleb, a Xanterra vice president who many changes early on tors may notice this
oversees operations for Glacier, Yellow- as the new concession- year is a change in the
stone, Crater Lake and Mount Rush- er settles in. However, logo on the side of the James McCaleb
more national parks. “We’re looking the company plans on buses, which currently
forward to getting set up and getting our improving services reads “Glacier Park Inc.
feet on the ground.”
throughout the year.
Transportation.” Ducharme said Xan-
Last summer, the National Park Ser- “Our company is respected through- terra and the National Park Service are

vice announced it had selected Xanterra out the industry as being very sustain- currently collaborating on a new logo for
to operate lodging, retail, transporta- able and we want to bring those pro- the buses.
tion and food and drink services inside grams to Glacier National Park,” he said. Although there is a lot of work to be
Glacier National Park. The contract lasts “Our company’s mission is to serve our completed, McCaleb said Xanterra is ex-
16 years. The agreement requires Xan- customers and the park the best we can.”
cited about getting started.
terra to replace much of the lodging fur- Marc Ducharme, general manager “It’s one of the most beautiful places
nishings throughout the park; remodel for Xanterra’s Glacier operation, said on the planet and we’re excited to get set
selected guest rooms in the Many Gla- the company is currently trying to pur- up in Glacier National Park,” he said.

www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
cier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge;
chase the former Pamida department
[email protected]