Entrance Fee Increase Proposed for Fort Pulaski

Date: November 14, 2014
Contact: Joel Cadoff, [phone]

SAVANNAH, GA – Fort Pulaski National Monument is requesting public comment as the park considers an increase to entrance fees beginning in 2015. The current park entrance fees have been in place since 2011. The National Monument is one of 131 of the 401 National Park Service (NPS) sites that charge entrance fees and were recently authorized by NPS Director Jon Jarvis to consider fee increases based upon a new fee structure.

Fort Pulaski National Monument is seeking public input on a proposed entrance fee increase to enable the Monument to continue to provide high quality visitor facilities and programming as well as care for our significant historic and natural resources. The Monument has done a detailed economic analysis of our entrance fees, and we feel that an increase to seven dollars per person is equitable to similar sites in the greater Savannah-Tybee area. The Monument proposes to continue to offer children under 16 free admission.

Entrance fees are not charged to persons under 16 years of age or holders of the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Annual, Senior, Access, or Military Passes. These passes may be obtained at the park as well as other federal fee areas. The cost of these passes will not increase under the proposal.

The proposed fee schedule is as follows:

TYPE OF FEE	CURRENT FEE	PROPOSED INTERMEDIATE INCREASE	PROPOSED  FULL INCREASE
Park Entrance Pass Per Person Valid for 1-7 days from date of purchase.	$5.00	$7.00	$10.00
Fort Pulaski Annual Park Entrance Pass Valid for one year from month of purchase.	$10.00	$30.00	$40.00

 

Fort Pulaski National Monument is considering the fee increase authorized by NPS. While the park could request the full Per Person Park Entrance Pass, increasing the fee from $5 to $10, and the full Fort Pulaski Annual Park Entrance Pass, increasing the fee from $10 to $40, Fort Pulaski National Monument is looking at an incremental increase to $7 for the Per Person Park Entrance Pass and $30 for the Fort Pulaski Annual Park Entrance Pass. This intermediate increase will permit the park to retain fiscal flexibility in the current climate and enable Fort Pulaski National Monument to move forward with plans outlined in its new business plan developed this past summer.    

The proposed entrance fee rates are based on a national fee rate schedule that was due to be implemented back in 2009, but was postponed by the NPS due to the national economic downturn that occurred at about the same time. The additional revenue from the fee increase will be used to enhance visitor services, including repair and maintenance of park facilities, restoration and rehabilitation of historic Fort Pulaski, additional park programs, and increased resource protection. There will be an emphasis on park improvements prior to the NPS centennial anniversary in 2016.

This fee increase is part of a larger National Park Service initiative to standardize fees in similar national parks across the country. Previous fee increases have had no negative effect on visitation levels. Fort Pulaski National Monument is a strong economic engine for the surrounding area. In 2013, a National Park Service report showed that 374, 408 visitors to the National Monument spent $22 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 302 jobs in the local area.

The Fort Pulaski National Monument is seeking feedback about the proposed fee schedule. Please provide your comments online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/fopufees2015. Comments may also be mailed to the National Monument (Superintendent, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Attn: Proposal to Increase Fees, U.S. Highway East, P.O. Box 30757, Savannah, GA 31410-0757). The National Monument requests that you provide your comments by December 17, 2014.

The new fees could be implemented in early 2015. However, the implementation schedule may vary based on the results of civic engagement. The park will develop an implementation schedule that supports local communities and interested stakeholders. Fort Pulaski National Monument looks forward to receiving your comments concerning the proposed fee increase. For more information, please contact Joel Cadoff, Public Information Officer at [phone] ext. 114.

Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on U.S. Highway 80, 15 miles east of Savannah. For more information, please visit the website of Fort Pulaski National Monument at www.nps.gov/fopu or call [phone]. You can also follow the park on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FortPulaskiNPS or like the official Fort Pulaski National Monument Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FortPulaskiNPS.

– NPS –