Park service calls development plan a major threat to Grand Canyon

PHOENIX — Generations of park managers have tried to maintain the natural view of the Grand Canyon National Park, but all of that is about to change.

According to the LA Times, visitors could soon see a hive of construction workers on the east side of the canyon’s popular South Rim.

Restaurants, hotels and shops are planned to be built on a distant mesa on the Navajo Indian reservation.
The project has alarmed the National Park Service, which sees them as the most serious threat the park has faced in its 95-year history.

“They are serious threats to the future of the park,” said park Supt. Dave Uberuaga. “When you have that size and scope of potential development that close to the park, it will impact our visitor experience.”

Other plans from the developers include a gondola ride from these attractions to whisk tourists to the canyon floor. From there, they could take a walk to a restaurant at the junction of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers.

The park is currently waiting for the tribe to complete its planning process before providing an official response.