The couple who operate Prineville Reservoir Resort want out of their lease with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the RV campground won’t open this summer.

Gregg Garnett, Bend field office manager for the bureau, said Rick and Julie Mayers have approached the agency about ending their contract early.

“None of the facilities associated with the resort is expected to be opened this coming summer,” he said in an email.

Oregon State Parks is interested in managing the private campground.

“It’s at the very beginning of the plan,” said Mike Simonsen, park manager for Prineville Reservoir State Park. The state park is west of the private campground on the same shoreline.

Simonsen said Oregon State Parks would probably convert the resort, which has 70 RV camping spots, a small motel, cafe and convenience store, to a day use area.

The Mayers couldn’t be reached for comment. Julie Mayers didn’t respond to a message from The Bulletin. The reservation phone line and website listed on the campground’s Facebook page weren’t working on Wednesday.

The Mayers formed their company, Prineville Reservoir Resort Inc., in 1992.

The resort is on a section of the lake that suffers more than the state park from low water levels, Simonsen said. If water is 100 feet deep in front of the state park, it’s 20 feet deep at the resort, he said.

The resort is a smaller property than the state park, but it has more camping spaces, Simonsen said. The RV parking has water and electrical hookups, and 36 of the spaces are waterfront, according to information posted at Campnative.com. The resort also has a seven-room hotel, cafe overlooking the reservoir and convenience store stocked with fishing equipment.

— Reporter: 541-617-7860, kmclaughlin@bendbulletin.com