When the Inyo County Board of Supervisors meets in Tecopa on November 4, one agenda item will rise above the rest: how much locals and visitors will soon pay to soak in the County’s own hot springs.
While residents have been fretting over the newly released rate schedule, Inyo County has also made public the full proposal submitted by Flippin Happy Campers & Lance Hamrick LLC, the Las Vegas–based partnership awarded the concession to operate the Tecopa Hot Springs Campground & Pools. The 140-page document—obtained through a public-records request—offers the first complete look at both the pricing framework and the broader vision that won the group the contract.
A Vision Wrapped in Equity Language
At the heart of the proposal is a pledge to “create equitable access and respectful partnerships with local residents and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe.”
That promise anchors an intricate pricing system built on off-peak “resident and Tribal access windows,” designated “Community Access Days,” and limited discounts for seniors and veterans. The language evokes inclusion, yet the structure reveals a framework driven by dynamic, tiered pricing—more typical of private hospitality operations than county recreation facilities.
As previously reported, locals who apply for verification to prove Tecopa residency would pay a $35 annual ID fee to participate in the resident-rate program. The proposal even describes “equitable access” as a measurable data point: discounted entries and participation rates logged and reported to the County as key performance indicators alongside revenue and occupancy.
Market Logic Meets Public Water
The Flippin-Hamrick vision places Tecopa Hot Springs firmly within the tourism economy, aligning rates with market demand rather than simple cost recovery.
Day-use passes are divided into weekday, shoulder-season, and holiday tiers, while camping fees adjust dynamically by season and length of stay. RV guests would pay a $10 daily electricity surcharge, despite the campground offering only power hookups—no water or sewer connections.
Presented as sustainable business practice, these choices effectively position the County’s public hot springs near the top of Tecopa’s price range, challenging its historic role as a community-accessible amenity.
Public Amenity, Private Pricing
For decades, Tecopa’s public pools have stood apart from nearby resorts precisely because they were simple, communal, and affordable—a place where locals and travelers shared the same water without regard to income or itinerary.
Under the proposed management model, that distinction begins to blur. Prices rise with demand; access is mediated through booking software; and discounts appear as exceptions rather than the rule. The framework reads less like recreation policy than a hospitality revenue plan, one in which data, demand, and “revenue per soak” determine who gets in.
An Alternative Perspective on Pricing
In the coming days, TecopaCabana.com will publish a deeper look at all the ideas submitted through the County’s RFP process. One proposal stood out for its differing philosophy on pricing: a submission from Cynthia Kienitz, owner of Cynthia’s, a small local hospitality business offering desert tours.
Kienitz argued that previous day-pass rates were unreasonably low and failed to reflect the true cost of operations. She urged the County to base future pricing on verified expense data and warned against undercutting nearby private businesses, whose livelihoods she said she “respects and supports.”
Her plan emphasized flexibility and gradual adjustment—starting with lower campground rates that mirror current conditions, then increasing them only as the site meets compliance and beautification goals.
Awaiting the Board’s Decision
On November 4, the Board of Supervisors will decide whether to approve the new concessionaire’s proposed pricing structure. It remains to be seen whether the final figures will mirror those circulating now, but whatever the outcome, the rates will set the standard for the next decade of operation at Tecopa’s only public hot springs.
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