Port staff to recommend Seven K's for Boyer Park

Jana Mathia, Gazette Reporter | Mar 22, 20180

Port of Whitman commissioners are scheduled to vote on approving an agreement with a new concessionaire to take over at Boyer Park and Marina today, March 22. This agreement comes after the Port’s advertising for concessionaires garnered zero applicants by the Feb. 16 deadline.

Port commissioners will be asked to approve an agreement with Steve Klontz, president of Seven K’s Enterprises.

At the port’s March 1 meeting, Joe Poire, port executive director, told commissioners people had expressed interest in the position, but were concerned about one aspect of Boyer or another. He told them port staff intended to work out a possible agreement.

“There is interest,” he said at that March 1 meeting. “But this is consistent with the last two people who ran it.”

Previous Boyer concessionaires were signed after discussion by both parties in regards to the park’s operation.

“What the Port has done is great,” Klontz told the Gazette of the Boyer facilities.

Klontz and his family have managed and brokered campgrounds in 11 western states including Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho, Texas, Oregon and Washington.

In November of last year it signed an agreement with the Port of Columbia as concessionaires of Lyons Ferry Marina.

If Seven K’s is named the new concessionaires at Boyer, the plan is to add a KOA franchise to the camping and to expand the store. Klontz noted that with Boyer so far from other amenities, more was needed at the store to accommodate campers.

Klontz said he would make the menu more kid friendly and campground fare.

Klontz grew up at Sprague and Starbuck in the ‘60s and ‘70s when his father served as pastor of the community churches. He has been in the RV business for 23 years.

“For 40-some years we’ve been camping as a family,” he said.

As a business, they are committed to customer service and a clean facility, he said. Given their experience, he felt Boyer’s shortcomings were in registration and the store offerings.

“We just want to improve the business,” he said. They also intend to add more amenities as needed. This may include expanding the laundry facility to meet KOA requirements and bike rentals.

Seven K’s initially did not apply because of concern with the timing, but came around after speaking to the port more. They already have managers lined up and intend to start taking reservations Monday, April 2.

“We’re going to be working through the month of April to get the store ready,” he said.

Klontz added they intend to honor traditions in Boyer as best they can and want people to come have a good time.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Steve,” Poire told the Gazette. He noted the tight timeline to put a plan together and negotiate the agreement. In that time, Klontz and his company invested considerable resources and time, with Klontz making multiple trips to Boyer in February and March. On the other side, the port checked out other parks Seven K’s operates.

“We’re really looking forward to working with them,” Poire said.

Port staff stressed Klontz taking over operation at Boyer is contingent on commissioners’ decision at the meeting today.