Connecticut Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences
Goals of the Office
Connecticut’s $5.5B outdoor recreation economy is the second largest in New England and grew by 9.2% in 2023, outpacing the national average of 9% and demonstrating a continued trend of strong growth since the pandemic. Building on this momentum, DEEP launched a new, interactive State Parks website, Governor Lamont and the Legislature committed an historic $80M to the Restore CT State Parks initiative, and most recently DEEP established the Connecticut Office of Outdoor Industry & Experiences. Led by Jeff Shaw, the Office focuses on growing Connecticut’s outdoor recreation economy by:
- Partnering with the private sector to provide new or expanded outdoor recreation experiences in Connecticut State Parks.
- Expanding and protecting equitable access to outdoor recreation experiences.
- Promoting Connecticut both as an outdoor recreation tourism destination and as a place to live, work and play outside.
What's New!
- NEW: Paddlecraft Rental Draft RFP - seeking public comment
- NEW: Public Notice of Paddlecraft Rental Draft RFP
- Updated Request for Information (RFI) Released
- Sign-up for the Connecticut Outdoor Industry & Experiences email newsletter
Partnerships in Parks – Draft RFP for Paddlecraft Rentals in Five State Parks
DEEP invites public comment on a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for the operation of canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard rental services at any or all of the following locations:
- Hopeville Pond State Park, Griswold
- Indian Well State Park, Shelton
- Mount Tom State Park, Litchfield
- Pattaconk Reservoir/Lake Recreation Area, Cockaponset State Forest, Chester/Haddam
- Squantz Pond State Park, New Fairfield
DEEP will accept written comments on the draft RFP until November 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Submit comments by email to Tenia Seay at DEEP.parksdivisionRFP@ct.gov with the subject line “Paddlecraft Rentals Draft RFP Comments.”
Partnerships in Parks - RFI Seeks Partnership Suggestions to Expand Outdoor Recreation in State Parks
DEEP seeks to build upon successful partnerships in Connecticut State Parks – such as Farmington River Tubing, Mohawk Mountain Ski Area, and Essex Steam Train – by inviting businesses, non-profits, and other private sector stakeholders to submit suggestions to a Request for Information (RFI), which is intentionally broad to encourage innovative, creative concepts that meet the following goals:
- Elevate outdoor recreation and visitor experience
- Increase access to the outdoors
- Expand tourism destinations
Updated RFI Welcomes Ongoing Ideas for New Experiences, Services and Amenities in CT State Parks
Feedback from Park Visitors
DEEP seeks feedback from park visitors regarding the types of experiences, services and amenities they would like to see in State Parks. To provide feedback, please complete the short survey.
Partnership Suggestions from Businesses and Organizations
Through a Request for Information (RFI), DEEP welcomes ideas from businesses, non-profits, and other interested stakeholders on potential partnerships in Connecticut State Parks. This RFI is intentionally broad to encourage creativity and innovation. DEEP will review submissions for viability on a quarterly basis. View the RFI and supporting documents at the Office of Outdoor Industry and Experiences new RFI webpage.
Special Use Licenses
Please note some ideas may qualify for a Special Use License, whereby DEEP authorizes temporary special use of State Park or State Forest Recreational Lands for public purposes that are not in conflict with park or forest purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, fundraising events, trail races, seasonal mobile food and beverage trucks, historical reenactments, rowing regattas, guided programming, and piloted partnerships.
To learn more on Special Use or if you feel your idea may better align with Special Use, visit the Special Use website here for more information or connect with the Program Specialist for Special use via DEEP.SpecialUse@ct.gov.
Stay Connected
Sign up for the Connecticut Outdoor Industry & Experiences email newsletter. Connecticut has 110 State Parks with amazing facilities, trails, beaches, campgrounds, and more for the public to enjoy. Through new and expanded partnerships, we aim to elevate outdoor recreation experiences, increase equitable access to the outdoors, and expand tourism destinations in these State Parks. This email newsletter will deliver the latest information about these efforts and new partnership opportunities.
Newsletter archive: October 2025 | August 2025 | May 2025
Contact DEEP.PartnershipsInParks@ct.gov with any additional questions.