NORTH CAPE MAY – The Delaware River and Bay Authority is looking for a new vendor to operate the former Exit Zero Ferry Park and associated facilities.
Exit Zero Hospitality announced on its Facebook page that it was “ending its nearly-three-year ferry adventure” at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal in North Cape May.
According to its social media post from Sept. 6, Exit Zero said it was working on terminating its lease with the authority effective Friday, March 1, 2024. That date, the vendor said, “would allow time for a new tenant to take over the concessions in time for the summer season.” The authority said in its press release, dated Friday, Oct. 6, that it and Exit Zero had mutually agreed to end the partnership. Vendor proposals are due Friday, Nov. 3.
The authority said it wants to find a restaurateur to operate both the food and retail operations at the terminal in time for the “peak 2024 summer season.”
“We appreciate the effort, energy and vision the Exit Zero team brought to this venture and the timing on the mutual decision to part ways provides ample time to engage in a thorough process to find a new partner,” Heath Gehrke, director of ferry operations, said in the authority’s press release.
Jack Wright, Exit Zero owner, said in a press release issued on its Facebook page, “We believe the time is right for a new hospitality group to come in and continue the evolution of this fantastic waterfront site. We are going to turn our focus fully back on Exit Zero Filling Station and will be announcing exciting new plans for our publishing side of the business.”
The terminal restaurant operation includes roughly 280 indoor and 130 outdoor seats. The concessionaire will manage both the indoor and outdoor restaurant, a second-floor outlet previously used as event space that can seat over 150 people, and an outdoor patio with waterfront views. The concessionaire is also expected to operate the coffee and retail gift shop (formerly Café 64) in the terminal and will have access to book the Gallery, a 1,509-square-foot meeting room.
James Salmon, a spokesman for the Delaware River and Bay Authority, said the authority operated the food services at the ferry terminal prior to finding a private sector partner to run it. He said there has been a variety of food and retail outlets at the terminal, including an outdoor bar and Sunset Lounge on the second floor.
Salmon said Exit Zero took over in mid-2021 and rebranded the Sunset Lounge as The Lookout, and performed a renovation to the general passenger area, which also has a bar. According to the press release, Exit Zero invested about $1 million in renovations.
Salmon said the authority also has a private operator for food service on the Lewes, Delaware, side of the operation. The Grain on the Rocks has been at the Lewes terminal since 2020.
He said that rather than dictate what kind of a dining experience the authority wants the vendor to provide, it would instead leave the creative aspect to those with the most experience.
“Customer service is a priority,” he said.
Salmon said the authority is looking for a vendor with whom it can enter a long-term contract and a long-term relationship. The initial term being offered by the authority is 10 years, with an option to extend for periods of five years each.
Exit Zero and previous vendors have offered visitors options that ranging from bar-style food to sit-down steak dinners.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
