Mobile food trucks, revamped lodges and possibly a valet service are coming to the Grand Canyon's South Rim under a new 15-year concessions contract.
The park announced Thursday that it has awarded the contract worth about $1 billion over its lifetime to Xanterra South Rim, LLC.
The contract pending review by Congress is one of the most lucrative in the National Park Service.
Xanterra and its predecessor companies have operated services at the South Rim for more than a century.
It's now operating under a temporary contract that expires in December.
The park had struggled to attract strong bids in three previous rounds of bidding.
The contract also requires expanded patio dining at the El Tovar Hotel overlooking the South Rim and an option to run a valet service there.
