Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

Industry: Museum

Service: Feasibility Study

JGL had the privilege of working with TRPL on a feasibility study in support of their new facility build-out in the Badlands of North Dakota. While a stunning location for a presidential library, the large seasonal tourist swings would significantly complicate visitor food and catering operations. Its remote location also meant there were few operators interested in operating the account.

Despite these difficulties, an F&B operation at TRPL had real potential. JGL worked with the Library to identify core constituencies such as national park visitors, summer tourists, and Medora Musical-goers, and crafted a program that would most appeal to them. This program focused on batch cooking that highlighted local foods such as bison, corn, elk, frybread, squash, and succotash. This program would transform into a streamlined cook-to-order model during the offseason with additional offerings such as pickles and dried meats made in-house to draw local destination visitors. The café concept was paired with a multi-faceted venue rental program that aimed to attract both premium multi-day conferences and smaller cost-conscious groups through the introduction of combined venue and catering packages.