City of Lawton searching for new concessionaire for Ralph’s Resort

The City of Lawton is searching for a new operator for the Ralph’s Resort concession area at Lake Ellsworth.

The action comes as the City Council, in its capacity as the Lawton Water Authority, also agreed to buy amenities that Steve and Sandra Perry have added to the concession area over their years of operation for $300,000.

Deputy City Manager Dewayne Burk said the water authority’s action transferred assets at Ralph’s Resort to city ownership, a procedure specified in the Perrys’ lease. Those assets include a 30-foot by 60-foot store, 48-foot by 120-foot boat dock, 25-foot by 200-foot dry storage facility, 24-foot by 36-foot closed fishing dock, 20-foot by 32-foot open fishing dock, three walkways, 20 trailer park spaces with infrastructure, a restaurant vent, and a water meter and membership in Comanche County Rural Water District 2.

After agreeing to the transfer of assets without comment, council members then directed city staff to begin soliciting Requests for Proposals. That process will help identify a new person/entity to operate the concession area that has been under city lease to the Perry family since December 1999, but an area actually operated by the family for 45 years.

“There is a lot of history there,” said Mayor Stan Booker, about a water recreation area initially operated by John Perry, before he went into business with his son and daughter-law, adding their names to the lease in October 2011 before the couple assumed full ownership in 2015 after John Perry died.

The action on Ralph’s Resort was similar to action the council took when it agreed to buy assets from former School House Slough concessionaire Kent Waller, after he ended his lease after 25 years of operations. Both leases had specified the city had to purchase real assets that concessionaires had added for their fair market value.

Last week’s action is the fourth decision on concession areas in recent months, as city officials focus new attention on recreation areas at Lakes Ellsworth and Lawtonka. Other actions include designing a new concessionaire to operate the general store and fueling system at School House Slough; increasing fees paid by Lawton Boat Club and Sunken Bridge Yacht Club for the shoreline areas they lease on Lawtonka; and allowing the Minnow Marina lease to end when it expires in June.

While the Perrys’ lease for Ralph’s Resort expires Dec. 31, both sides have agreed to end it sooner if the city finds a new concessionaire before then.