In October 2023, the National Park Service and Guest Services, Inc. celebrated the opening of the Flamingo Lodge and Guy Bradley Visitor Center, a landmark event attended by key figures and covered extensively by media outlets. This new development, featuring the environmentally innovative Flamingo Lodge and the historically significant Guy Bradley Visitor Center, offers visitors unique experiences through its modern amenities and breathtaking views. 

Now, we are excited to highlight the grand opening of the Flamingo Restaurant that took place on December 29th, 2023.

The restaurant was created with the same innovative environmentally friendly construction as the Lodge and is located on the same block with identical awe-inspiring views. Guests can now indulge in an exquisite, modern culinary journey as part of their unforgettable Everglades National Park experience. Fresh seafood, tasty cocktails, and an immersive historic ambiance make this a truly unforgettable dining experience, and only a few feet from the Lodge rooms.

“The menu is reflective of all the different places I’ve been, what I’ve learned as a professional, and what I’ve come to understand guests enjoy,” says Margaret McCarthy, Food & Beverage Manager and Chef at Everglades Flamingo Adventures.

“We’ve been open now for a little over a month, and things are going very well. We are looking forward to developing the restaurant into a gathering place by featuring a big-screen TV, board games, and other fun things to engage guests. Hopefully, it will start to serve as a comfortable lobby because there is no real lobby for the rest of the Lodge,” says Margaret.

The menu features a wide variety of awesome locally sourced dishes that use fresh ingredients and according to one guest, ‘the best Cubana in Florida.’ The team makes their salsas and sauces from scratch, smokes their pork onsite, and offers an experience unlike any other restaurant in the park system. Thank you to the entire team and everyone that makes this destination exceptional!

Celebrating One Year of Employee Resource Groups

This month marks a very significant milestone for Guest Services. All of our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have now celebrated their one-year anniversary. We are incredibly proud of this program and ecstatic to see participation numbers continue to grow. Thank you to everyone who attends and to those who work to maintain them! Learn more about each ERG and find the link where all group meetings are hosted.

 

Meet the team:

Women’s ERG – WIN

Co-chairs: Angie Thurston and Joana Vasilescu, 

Executive Sponsor: Barry Trice

 

LGBTQ+ ERG – Kaleidoscope

Co-chairs: Joe Pereira and Lisa Duncan 

Executive Sponsor: Jeff Ritter

 

Hispanic ERG – Hola

Co-chairs: Ody Hernandez and Ken Lopez

Executive Sponsor: Laura Sherman

 

African American/Black ERG – BELIEVE 

Co-chairs:  Paulette Lassiter and Mona Aleem 

Executive Sponsor: Dan Stoltzfus

 

Juneteenth, 2023

Last June, our organization celebrated the second annual Juneteenth with an event at Columbia Island Marina. Team members from all over the DMV met to enjoy cultural cuisine, participate in activities, and honor the day’s significance. Attendees played Culture Tag and Trivia, and winners were given ‘banned’ books from a local Black-owned book store. We’re happy to announce we doubled participation this year compared to last!

 

Pride Month Celebrations

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Kaleidoscope ERG and the presentation by Amy Waninger. For those who were unable to join, use the password below to view a recording of the meeting.

Passcode: XX.W1P8#

Next DEI Event: Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month 

September 15 – October 15

Stay tuned to learn more about how we will be celebrating!

Property Spotlight | Rainbow Springs Adventures

Rainbow Springs State Park is a sprawling 1,472-acre park in Florida, encompassing one of the state’s largest springs, the headsprings of the Rainbow River, and offering a diverse range of outdoor activities like swimming, kayaking, tubing, canoeing, and camping. “We’re on the head springs and the river itself, which both consist of micro springs that enable the water to be crystal clear and 72 degrees year-round. You can also see the bottom everywhere. People love it,” says Rich Lucy, General Manager.

Here, Rich and his team operate the newly upgraded cafe, camp store, tubing station, boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, and canoeing. In 2023, the team opened earlier in the season than normal with record-breaking numbers, introduced a newly upgraded cafe with an overhauled menu, and continue to explore innovative new service offerings.

“The numbers speak for themselves. This year, we had 41% higher revenue year-over-year. We’re also 26% over our budgeted revenue. Rich and his team have brought a number of incredible upgrades that have shown the true potential of the park. Beyond these impressive numbers, the park has really evolved into an extraordinary space where families are making lifelong memories,” says Laura Sherman, Vice President, Hospitality.

Matt Smith, District Manager, says, “Rich’s F&B sales are up double digits most days, and the food is great. He’s also brought in a new line of retail merch this year, increased rental revenues, and turned the Tube Rental area into a one-stop concession store catering to all of our guest’s needs. Rich has been a great addition to our team.”

“I think the best way to describe Rich is that he is a ‘get-it-done’ kind of guy. He adds immeasurable value to the operation. His food & beverage experience has elevated the food concession offerings to a whole new level.”

These achievements aren’t going unnoticed either. The park has recently been featured in several local news articles:

• 9 Best Freshwater Springs In Florida
• 10 Natural Springs Near Tampa Bay You Must Visit At Least Once
• Epic Adventures to Try This Summer

What’s Next?

“Right now, we’re really excited about bringing the original glass bottom boats. You actually walk down into these boats, so you’re literally in the water. We’re currently working on getting these approved so we can renovate them.”

“We also have been given some land on the campsite to open up Eco-tents to capitalize on the growing glamping trends. So, we’re pretty excited. We’re still adding new things and a lot of things people really enjoy, and we’re giving them more reasons than ever to come and visit us,” says Rich.

Thank you to the entire Rainbow Springs Adventures team for your hard work!