Tropical Palms---The Truth

[GaryKD]

Lately, there has been some discussion about Tropical Palms (TP) in Kissimmee, FLA. I am a repeat customer of this CG and just attended a Newmar Manatee chapter rally at TP. The most current information is:
1. In the Orlando area, around the past two years, about 2300 RV sites have been lost to condo development.
2. ENCORE plans to maintain TP as a profitable RV Resort business. ENCORE has no plans to sell or redevelop the CG to anything but an RV resort.
3. The old cottages are being updated with the new Sand Castles park models.
4. One section of the RV resort is being removed from RV service and will contain Sand Castle park models. This eliminates about 100 RV sites.
5. There will remain about 300 RV sites of all kinds. From tent to 50 amp full hook-up on concrete pads.
6. Expansion of the Sand Castle park models was done to ensure TP's profitability. There is a season, in central FLA for RV site rentals. Unfortunately, the fixed costs of the resort continue even when the RV sites are empty.
7. Over a year, Sand Castle park models bring in more revenue and provide more profit than an RV site. In addition Sand Castle revenue is consistent throught the year. This enables ENCORE to stabilize their revenue stream.

As to the maintenance of the resort, nothing has changed. Contracts with the maintenance companies have not changed and the maintenance companies are the same as they have been.

The green slime in the pond is due to the drought Central FLA has been experiencing. The pond is cleaned on the same maintenance schedule as in the past. Unfortunately, this is not enough to eliminate the green slime. To keep the slime eliminated in a period of drought is cost prohibitive. The bottom line problem is the well TP has pumped water from that keeps water movement in the pond (and clean)has run dry. There is no cost effective way to keep the water flowing through the pond until central FLA receives the rain and the wells return to a normal level. Resort maintenance has proposed installing a fountain in the pond to keep the water circulating.

I found the resort to be in the same condition as it has always been except for the Sand Castle construction and the green slime in the pond.

[GaryKD]

Lately, there has been some discussion about Tropical Palms (TP) in Kissimmee, FLA. I am a repeat customer of this CG and just attended a Newmar Manatee chapter rally at TP. The most current information is:
1. In the Orlando area, around the past two years, about 2300 RV sites have been lost to condo development.
2. ENCORE plans to maintain TP as a profitable RV Resort business. ENCORE has no plans to sell or redevelop the CG to anything but an RV resort.
3. The old cottages are being updated with the new Sand Castles park models.
4. One section of the RV resort is being removed from RV service and will contain Sand Castle park models. This eliminates about 100 RV sites.
5. There will remain about 300 RV sites of all kinds. From tent to 50 amp full hook-up on concrete pads.
6. Expansion of the Sand Castle park models was done to ensure TP's profitability. There is a season, in central FLA for RV site rentals. Unfortunately, the fixed costs of the resort continue even when the RV sites are empty.
7. Over a year, Sand Castle park models bring in more revenue and provide more profit than an RV site. In addition Sand Castle revenue is consistent throught the year. This enables ENCORE to stabilize their revenue stream.

As to the maintenance of the resort, nothing has changed. Contracts with the maintenance companies have not changed and the maintenance companies are the same as they have been.

The green slime in the pond is due to the drought Central FLA has been experiencing. The pond is cleaned on the same maintenance schedule as in the past. Unfortunately, this is not enough to eliminate the green slime. To keep the slime eliminated in a period of drought is cost prohibitive. The bottom line problem is the well TP has pumped water from that keeps water movement in the pond (and clean)has run dry. There is no cost effective way to keep the water flowing through the pond until central FLA receives the rain and the wells return to a normal level. Resort maintenance has proposed installing a fountain in the pond to keep the water circulating.

I found the resort to be in the same condition as it has always been except for the Sand Castle construction and the green slime in the pond.

[Richard and Babs and a Bob Tail Cat]

Thanks for the update. We stay there a lot. Next is at a Beaver Rally.