Parks presents long‑term concession terms for Kite Cafe at Golden Gardens; councilmember signals amendments

Seattle Parks and Recreation on July 23 presented a proposed long‑term concession agreement that would authorize Kite Cafe LLC to occupy the Golden Gardens Bathhouse café space under a five‑year contract with an option to extend.

Christopher Williams, Chief of Staff at Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Kathleen Gantz, Parks contracts manager, summarized the RFP process and key contract terms. "Our shared long term goals include positive activation of the historic Golden Gardens building and the park," Gantz said as she described the department’s objectives to provide affordable, locally sourced food, generate revenue for operations and increase park stewardship through year‑round concession activity.

Key terms presented - Premises: 480 square feet of café space plus a 20‑square‑foot storage closet in the south end of the Golden Gardens Bathhouse. - Term and rent: initial five‑year term; annual flat fair‑market rent of $16,300 paid monthly (five‑year total $81,500), with CPI increases capped at 4% annually. The agreement includes a one‑percent concession fee on sales above $1,000,000 (threshold not yet reached). - Utilities and maintenance: Kite Cafe pays for separately metered electricity and a proportionate share of a shared gas meter; SPR pays water and sewer because restrooms are not part of the concession premise. SPR retains responsibility for the building envelope and systems; the concessionaire handles day‑to‑day operations and seasonal service expectations. - Seasonal economics: Parks staff said the business is largely seasonal and runs at a loss in winter months; SPR requires year‑round presence to maintain eyes on the park. - Ice cream vehicle: the contract allows a dedicated ice‑cream jeep to remain on site under the awning during business hours, allowed Thursdays through Sundays.

Background and selection process Parks said it ran a public RFP process in fall 2023, scored four proposals, awarded a short‑term contract to Kite Cafe on Jan. 31, 2024, and opened the interim concession in May 2024. In 2024 the concession reported net revenue of $38,300 under the interim model; Parks told the committee that the previous percent‑of‑receipts model was unsustainable for a small seasonal operator and the flat fair‑market fee is intended to be more predictable.

Council response and next steps Councilmember Andrew Strauss, whose district includes Golden Gardens, praised the operators’ work but said he will propose contract amendments to better support the business in this exposed, seasonal location. Strauss said he plans to coordinate with Parks and Law to circulate suggested edits — including questions about rent level, the ice‑cream jeep requirement under the awning, and mandated winter operations — before the ordinance returns to committee. "If we’re not setting them up for success, then we’re doing ourselves harm," Strauss said.

No committee vote was taken July 23; staff and the councilmember said they will work on potential amendments and return with the contract for committee consideration.