GPI not quite out of the Park

Glacier Park Inc. isn’t entirely out of business in Glacier National Park.

The company still owns a somewhat obscure motel just east of the Lake McDonald Lodge and is promoting it online as having rooms that are “rustic, yet comfortable.”

“In keeping in the era in which all the rooms were built, they offer guests modest amenities and old-world style accommodations resulting in a one-of-a kind, national park lodging experience,” the Web site states.

For years, Motel Lake McDonald has sat in relative obscurity about 300 yards east of Lake McDonald Lodge, tucked behind the general store — two nondescript two-story structures with a parking lot in between. Built decades ago, the motel also operated as the Stuart Motel. It has no views to speak of and no direct lake access.

GPI owns outright the motel and the land it sits on, but the company needs a commercial use permit to operate a business inside the Park. Park spokeswoman Denise Germann said GPI has applied for a permit.

Commercial use permits for inholders inside the Park are not uncommon, Germann said. All rental units in the Park must have commercial use permits, Germann noted. The Apgar Village Lodge, for example, which is owned by the Lundgren family, operates under a commercial use permit.

GPI also will need a commercial use permit if it plans on transporting visitors back and forth to the motel.

Xanterra Parks & Resorts beat out GPI last year in the competitive bid for the concessions contract to run Glacier Park’s lodges and Red Bus fleet. Xanterra took over the concessions contract Jan. 15. GPI had held the contract for 32 years prior to that.

Xanterra is marketing the lodges as Glacier Park Lodges online at http://ww35.nationalparksreservations.com.