What:The private concessioners who operated the visitor-serving operations at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon reached the end of their contract, and the market value of the nearly 300 concessioner-constructed buildings needed to be determined.

Where: In northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. The South Side of the canyon is the more heavily-visited side, and the subject of this assignment. The North Side of the Park is far less developed, less frequently visited, and is operated as a separate concession.

Who: The National Park Service is the owner of the land, and of some of the buildings. Xanterra Parks and Resorts (formerly the Fred Harvey Company and Amfac Resorts) has been the concessioner since the formation of the Park.

MR&A’s role: As Appraiser and Expert Witness, Mr. Robinson assisted in the preparation of the appraisal, and provided expert testimony in the subsequent arbitration hearing, He was responsible for the income approach of the valuation of both the buildings (owned by the concessioner) and the land (owned by the government).

Results: While the specific results of the appraisal are confidential, through this process, the value of the property was set, and the Park Service subsequently re-let the concession contract to Xanterra, for an increased amount of rent, for the next 15 years. Mr. Robinson has received numerous honors and awards for his creative and innovative methodology for the valuation of these unique real estate assets.