February 21, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
The Delaware River waterfront in Camden could soon have a concession stand that sells food and alcohol. The county has put out a request for proposals.
The Delaware River waterfront in Camden could soon have a new concession stand that sells food and alcohol, giving visitors a place to buy refreshments at a park that offers a sweeping view of the Philadelphia skyline, according to documents released by the county.
A request for proposals seeks bids from vendors to operate a stand that could be located outside the headquarters of American Water, which is on Water Street between Cooper and Penn streets. An exact location would be determined with input from the chosen contractor, but the county has suggested a location on a lawn that sits between Water Street and the Ulysses Wiggins promenade on the waterfront.
The concession stand would offer "a variety of hot and cold items, fresh food and beverages," with a special concessionaire permit required to serve alcohol. The permit would be obtained with support from the county and would allow people to drink at the riverfront site, which is a short walk from the 2.2-acre RCA Pier park.
The county described the stand as a "temporary structure" that could be installed and removed without causing damage to the surrounding area. The request shows the county will be open to bids March 5 and could lease the site as soon as April 1. The county's lease for the concession stand is expected to include two option years, with renewal at the discretion of the county.
Camden's waterfront is home to Adventure Aquarium, Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Battleship New Jersey and Cooper's Poynt Park. The waterfront hosts public events including fireworks displays and concerts, but it has few year-round food and beverage options overlooking the river compared with Philadelphia's Penn's Landing. The RiverLink Ferry system that connects the cities runs between Penn's Landing and the Wiggins Park ferry terminal, which is about half a mile from the American Water headquarters. Wiggins Park typically hosts the city's Freedom Festival concert and fireworks on the Fourth of July.
The request for proposals said the concession stand would be "for the benefit of county residents, patrons of various events held at the Waterfront and the public."
The riverfront surrounding the proposed site of the concession stand has undergone significant development in the past decade, including the completion of the American Water headquarters in 2018. The five-story building, developed by Liberty Property Trust, is surrounded by landscaped plazas and the RCA Pier that fronts the river on the building's south side. The park opened in 2019 and has a mix of trails and lawn areas. On the north side of the American Water building, the Hilton Garden Inn in 2020 became Camden's first new hotel in more than 50 years.
