MLive News
Dec. 17, 2024
Lindsay Moore
If your small business caters to the outdoor enthusiasts, tourists and beach bums of Michigan then there’s an opportunity to get prime real estate within some of the 103 state parks.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources collaborates with small businesses to elevate visitor experiences by offering a wide range of services, from concessions to equipment rental to guided tours.
Through a competitive bidding process, the DNR selects businesses who “understand that every point of customer contact is an opportunity to educate and inspire and/or commit to employing best stewardship practices.”
Bids currently open span services and locations across Michigan.
From a mobile food stand near the shores of Lake Superior and to horseback riding stables just outside of Ann Arbor.
The selected businesses will secure a contract up to seven years.
Here’s what bids are listed for 2025 so far:
- Algonac State Park – Mobile Food
- Aloha State Park – Firewood Vending
- Belle Isle Park – Management of food concessions on the island
- Benzie and Grand Traverse Counties state forest campgrounds – Firewood vending
- Brighton Recreation Area – Vending machines
- Charles Mears State Park – Beach store and vending machine
- Hoffmaster State Park – Firewood vending and vending machines
- Ionia Recreation Area – Beach concessions
- Muskallonge Lake State Park – Mobile Food
- Seven Lakes State Park – Beach concession
- Tahquamenon Falls State Park – Shuttle Services
- Warren Dunes State Park – Mobile food
- Waterloo Recreation Area- Horseback riding stable, beach store, vending machines
- Yankee Springs Recreation Area – Outdoor center
Find more information, including bid proposals, online.