Caneel Bay Statement From NPS
Statement from Virgin Islands National Park Acting Superintendent Penny Del Bene concerning the Caneel Bay Resort Retained Use Estate
ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands — “The National Park Service (NPS) will comply with a federal court order issued Thursday, which grants the United States’ motion to stay the trial concerning the September 30, 2023, expiration of the Caneel Bay Resort Retained Use Estate (RUE) as the court moves to resolve the case. In further compliance with the order, the NPS will not take steps to manage or assume possession of the property until receiving further notice from the court,” said Penny Del Bene, acting superintendent, Virgin Islands National Park.
Caneel Bay Retained Use Estate Background
Caneel Bay is located on a 150-acre peninsula on the northwest side of St. John developed by Laurance Rockefeller, beginning in 1956. Rockefeller initially donated land to the NPS for creation of the Virgin Islands National Park and reserved the 150-acre Caneel Bay Resort (Resort) for the Rockefeller family land trust, the Jackson Hole Preserve. In 1983, Jackson Hole Preserve donated the 150 acres of land to the U.S. government for inclusion within the Virgin Island National Park. The preserved land was transferred to the NPS with a 40-year RUE, a unique arrangement setting aside the resort for independent operation and management until its expiration on September 30, 2023, when the resort would be transferred to NPS.
More background on Caneel Bay can be found on the Friends website here.
