Georgetown boat rental launches new name

WASHINGTON – The new company that has taken over the boathouse along the Georgetown waterfront has given an old Washington landmark a new name.

According to The Washington Post, Jack’s Boathouse has been renamed the Key Bridge Boathouse.

The National Park Service awarded the concession contract to run the boathouse property to B&G Outdoor Recreation Inc. in late February. The Massachusetts-based company runs six boat rental locations in Boston.

Jack’s had operated at the site since 1945 and had been operating on a month-to- month lease since 1982. But the current owner, Paul Simkin, wasn’t on the lease and NPS sent him an eviction letter in December.

NPS opened a competitive bid process to find a new contractor to run the site and had said that Simkin was allowed to compete. However he did not submit a bid for the new contract.

A boathouse employee told The Washington Post that the new contractor hired many of Jack’s employees and also acquired its boats.

The website for the Key Bridge Boathouse explains the history of the site’s first owner Jack Baxter and has photos that include Jack’s name in its photo gallery.

The Post also reports that the pricing for kayak and canoe rentals has changed slightly.

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