Resorts owner sees good year

CRESCENT BAR - Crescent Bar Resorts owner Tom Park is looking forward to a good year for his business in 2011.

But he says the future is iffy. He can adjust to the new conditions if Crescent Bar island residents are removed, but he wonders what kind of adjustments those will be.

"We'll be okay if they don't close the island while they dredge and build a new boat launch," he said. "They need to keep the golf course and the commercial area open."

But, really, Park would rather have none of this. He hopes that somehow the Grant County PUD changes its mind and leaves Crescent Bar as is.

Park's business focuses on vacation rentals and river excursions on his pontoon boat. For that, he needs people.

There have been plenty up to now, especially on weekends, when Crescent Bar residents host hundreds, perhaps thousands of friends and relatives.

"One crowd draws another crowd," Park said.

Park's 15 Sunserra units are booked solid for holiday weekends, and so is the boat.

"It's been a banner year," he said. "We already have as many bookings as all of last year. Our (Gorge Amphitheatre) concert days are full. We have more one-week stays this year."

Even June, which is traditionally the slowest of the summer months, is humming. Park gave it a boost by having a three-days-for-the-price-of-two special.

"We even had bookings in May," he said.

The river excursions on the pontoon boat, which will hold a sizeable party, cost $100 per hour when Park is piloting. When the customer drives, the cost is $65.

Park has no office. He conducts business with his cell phone and computer. There is no check-in for any of his customers.

"I operate at crescentbarresorts.com," he said. "We don't need the overhead of an office or to inconvenience our customers."