HAMPTON, Va. - Paradise Ocean Club at Fort Monroe has announced they are closing permanently, but has created a petition to combat the closure.
According to a Facebook post from the club, they say POC is closing after being a part of the community since 2012. They said they were looking forward to another ten years, however, their ten-year lease negotiation from the National Park Service was just recently taken away without cause, POC says.
Owner Baxter Simmons said they told him Thursday, September 1 that they are going to do a new RFP (request for proposal).
"We’re going to change the vision for the property, and we’re going a different direction," Simmons described the meeting. "So, we were completely caught off-guard. We have events in October we had to cancel, weddings I had to cancel. We have holiday parties booked, things like that, because we were intending to sign a lease and be here another 10 years."
They say this Labor Day holiday weekend will be their last for good, but they will fight to try to return at some point. "We will miss everybody and hopefully we can show National Parks the error of their ways," the club writes.
Eola Dance, Superintendent for Fort Monroe National Monument sent a statement to News 3 that reads:
Annually, Labor Day weekend marks the end to the summer season at Fort Monroe National Monument. As the National Park Service (NPS) seeks to continue recreational opportunities, we will re-announce the ocean club leasing opportunity with plans to resume enjoyment Memorial Day weekend in 2023. The decision to re-announce will allow the NPS to clarify the vision, scale, and scope of activities at the ocean club that are appropriate in a National Park setting for the enjoyment of all visitors.
The NPS welcomes an updated proposal from the current business operator as well as others. Once available, the request for proposals will be posted to the park website, to learn more please visit www.nps.gov/FOMR [nps.gov]
Simmons said, "They’ve not sat down and at least worked with us to say, 'Hey we want some changes. Can you do this within your business model?' There’s been no talk or negotiation of that with the National Parks."
Meantime, POC has created a petition in support of reopening. To sign, click here.
