Interest builds in lease for LCRA’s Canyon of the Eagles resort
The Overlook Restaurant at Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park and Resort offers Hill Country views and fine dining. Canyon of the Eagles is part of the Lower Colorado River Authority parks system and one of several operated by outside vendors. Courtesy photo
Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park soon will be under new management.
“We have two interested parties already,” Margo Richards, the Lower Colorado River Authority vice president of Community Resources, told the LCRA Board of Directors at its meeting Tuesday, Dec. 13.
The meeting was held at McKinney Roughs Nature Park in Cedar Creek. Like Canyon of the Eagles, McKinney Roughs is owned by the LCRA; unlike Canyon of the Eagles, it is operated by the river authority and not an outside vendor.
Canyon of the Eagles is a 940-acre, nature-based resort that offers camping, RV hookups, luxury hotel accommodations, fine dining, and an observatory. It is named after the American bald eagles that claim the area as their winter home.
The LCRA board voted to buy out the Calibre lease for up to $6.5 million during its March 2022 meeting. The vote during the Dec. 13 meeting was to use up to $1 million from the Public Recreation and Conservation Land Acquisition Fund for part of that payment. The balance will come from the authority’s Strategic Reserve Fund.
Calibre has leased the property since 2009 and will continue to run the resort until new management has been chosen, Richards told DailyTrib.com.
“The agreement for LCRA to purchase Calibre’s leasehold interest was a mutual decision between LCRA and Calibre, as both parties decided it was the best way forward,” Richards said in an email response to DailyTrib.com. “At this time, we’ve had conversations with a few interested entities, and we continue to work toward finding a new operator for the property.”
Discussions and negotiations are confidential, Richards told DailyTrib.com when asked to name the two entities.
Development opportunities at LCRA parks are submitted and evaluated through the authority’s unsolicited proposal policy, rather than being put out for bids, Richards explained.
“The LCRA intends for Canyon of the Eagles to remain open, welcoming guests to experience its Hill Country trails, beautiful scenery, and Texas hospitality,” she said of the transition period between leaseholders.