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Virgin Islands National Park

House Committee Approves Legislation Supporting Caneel Bay Resort

Legislation to allow a private equity firm to continue to run the Caneel Bay Resort at Virgin Islands National Park for 60 years was passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, but without language that would have required the company to ensure its activities were "consistent with all applicable laws and policies of the National Park Service.’’

Traveler's View: Corporate Welfare At Caneel Bay In Virgin Islands National Park?

A private equity firm with global operations that include luxury hotels, ski resorts, and transportation interests such as shipping and railcars is on the brink of what appears to be a sweetheart deal to operate a luxury resort inside Virgin Islands National Park for just about the rest of the century.

Laurance Rockefeller Wanted Caneel Bay Resort To Go To Virgin Islands National Park

On a hot, humid New York City day in September 1983, Laurance S. Rockefeller signed away, for $1, a beautiful sweeping parcel of ocean-front land on the Caribbean island of St. John to the United States government for inclusion in Virgin Islands National Park. While he held back a resort complex on that land, he fully intended to transfer it to the park 40 years later. U.S. Rep. Stacy Plaskett is working to void Mr. Rockefeller's desire, for reasons she won't explain.

UPDATE: Caneel Bay Resort's Future At Virgin Islands National Park In Limbo

An idyllic, 170-acre setting inside Virgin Islands National Park is home to the Caneel Bay Resort, a high-end luxury resort with waterside rooms, massage services, weekly cocktail parties, fitness center, tennis courts, and several restaurants. Now in shambles following last fall's hurricanes, the resort's future could hinge on an eight-year-old law passed by Congress and current legislation that would circumvent that law.

UPDATED | How Much Hurricane Relief Will Congress Provide The National Park Service?

With Congress going down to the wire in an effort to reach agreement on a budget bill and avoid another government shutdown, what remains to be seen is how much hurricane relief aid will be provided for the National Park Service, which suffered extensive damage from hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria last fall.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.