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Monday, Aug. 17, 2009 | 4:51 p.m.
More Information
- To read the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Draft Business Plan, go to www.nv.blm.gov/vegas and click on the link to the plan.
Red Rock Canyon officials are seeking comments on plans to raise fees at the national conservation area.
The fees for a day pass on the scenic drive would rise from $5 for a car to $7. Motorcycles would see an increase from $2 to $3. Bicyclists and hikers would be asked to pay $3, where they now are admitted for free.
An annual pass would cost $30, up from $20, and tour buses would be charged $5 per person, compared with the current $2.
In addition, the charge for individual campsites would rise from $10 to $15 and from $25 to $40 for group campsites. Group picnics at Red Spring, which are now free, would cost $40.
Public meetings to accept comments will be scheduled, BLM spokeswoman Kirsten Cannon said, and comments also are being collected by e-mail (redrockbp@blm.gov), fax (702-515-5023) or mail (BLM Southern Nevada District Office, Attn: Mark Tanaka-Sanders, 4701 N. Torrey Pines, Las Vegas, NV 89130). Comments may also be delivered to the Red Rock Visitor Center or the Red Rock Campground. The deadline for comments is Nov. 16.
The soonest new fees would go into effect would be March, Cannon said.
A business plan produced by the Bureau of Land Management, which operates the conservation area, notes that fees have not increased on the 13-mile scenic drive for more than 10 years, but amenities along the route have been added. In addition, it says, maintenance on the area’s 18 buildings, three historic structures, 127 miles of roads, 28 parking lots, 77 campsites, 39 restrooms and more than 100 miles of trails could suffer without the fee increase.
The added revenue would go directly to Red Rock Canyon, the plan says. It would help fill an annual funding gap of $985,000 between its current federal funding and fee collection and its expenses identified in a 10-year plan.
The plan notes three goals:
• Work to maintain public enjoyment of the park, including basic maintenance, road signs informational kiosks, law enforcement and expanded visitor center hours, at an annual cost of $599,000.
• Rehabilitate high-use recreational areas, including Oliver Ranch, add RV dumping stations to the campground, develop Ash Springs and complete a comprehensive trail plan, at an annual cost of $178,000.
• Remove graffiti, restore plants, eradicate non-native species and protect and rehabilitate the Garland area, at an annual cost of $209,000.
“We would like the public to comment not only on the fees, but also on the overall goals that have been set for the national conservation area,” Cannon said.
Visitor volume to Red Rock Canyon has increased by more than 100,000 annually since 2001 to 873,000 in 2008, the report says. The area collected $1.9 million in fees in 2008.
The business plan forecasts the increase in fees would ring in an added $987,000. It assumes sales of day passes will decrease while annual pass sales would increase.
Jean Reid Norman can be reached at 948-2073 or jean.norman@lasvegassun.com.
Sounds Fair. Raise the Fee
I would put a fee on route 159. Local residents or employees of area businesses, Blue Diamond etc. would get free passes. If you look at the 17 mile drive in Monterey/Carmel, this would actually increase visitors. Also, the same should be done to the road over the Hoover dam once the bypass opens, charge a fee there.
The other day I was near the intersection of Highway 95 and Ann Road. As I was enjoying a bite to eat, I noticed vehicles getting off the Highway at the intersection.
I watched as a brand new SUV with all the bells and whistles came to a stop and it was a NPS Ranger. Next came a BLM SUV, clean x-large and new, then another BLM then another BLM, then a Metro SUV well equipped...to my surprise a second Metor SUV pulled up behind the first....next came a Ranger fire truck and the parade continued....
While I am not against this "fee", please do not tell/sell us a bag of crap on how government will invest the money to make the parks nicer!
Hike the vehicle fees and leave the hikers and bikers alone.
"The added revenue would go directly to Red Rock Canyon, the plan says. It would help fill an annual funding gap of $985,000 between its current federal funding and fee collection and its expenses identified in a 10-year plan."
ONLY "help" fill an ANNUAL subsidized funding GAP of $985,000!
Is Bernard Madoff running this ponzi scheme?
The only business plan to consider here is closure.
The fee increases are very fair. This day in age, where you pay $30.00 just for parking at a major league ball game (Seattle) after paying a large amount for tickets, those costs for park entry are very reasonable. This includes hikers and bikers. Pay the 3 bucks and get over it. We paid $20.00 to enter Banff Park in Canada last year, very worth it. 2zero, all of those suv's, etc. you saw, Those agencies all buy American, so what's the problem. They drive a lot of miles, so their fleets are generally newer models.
This is the exact same garbage that they fed us when they raised the fees at Lake Mead. Cleaner/better facilities. Better maintenance. The place is disgusting. Does this mean there will actually be toilet paper in all of the restrooms. I think not.
Bad idea!
Yes, the fee-raise is fair, with one exception:
charging a hiker or bicyclist $3 dollars is steep, and would often be unfair. For example, if I enter by car with my family of four, we'd pay $7. If a party of four hikers came to enter, they'd be charged $12. How fair is that? Plus, we'd almost be building in a disincentive for them to hike or bicycle. Do we want want to chase them all into cars?
If you have to charge them at all, a buck, max, for each bicyclist and hiker.
I visit Las Vegas 2 times a year and consider the time spent at Red Rock as the highlight of each trip. For me it is the primary draw that brings me there. The fees? C'mon. it cost 5 times that just to walk through the lobby of the hotel, tip the Valet and drive the 30 minutes to get there. I say charge me $2 more for the car. Hell, my airfare and hotel are gonna run me over a thousand dollars anyway.
Better off paying $7 at Red Rock than paying for $10.50 at the movies at the Red Rock Casino.
A part of the area should be clothing optional to increase tourist business.
Okay Mred,
We'll wave the fee for bicyclists riding "au naturel."
**Red Rock Canyon officials are seeking comments on plans to raise fees**
Approved! Modest fees all...
-- found a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
Do not charge hikers or cyclists, but additional fees for vehicles - especially tour busses are overdue. I visit the area often and don't feel expanded visitor center hours are remotely justified - just more fat government salaries and benefits to pay.