campground ownership

[Daddy's truck]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I have always had this dream about owning my own campground and making it the way I would like it to be. In today's economy, with the job market shrinking and everyone's job at risk, I think about it even more. Everytime my current employer expects me to take on more responsibility or do more without so much as a "thank you", I start to dream.

Anyway, is there somewhere I could do some research on campground ownership? For example, while I wouldn't expect to strike it rich owning my own campground, I would like to hear from other owners regarding:
1. What type of income could one expect?
2. Is this type of lifestyle something that others have regretted getting into?
3. Any advice as to the best way to find a campground for sale?
4. Where can I get info on associations for owners?
5. Pros and cons about franchising (Yogi, KOA, etc.) vs. private?
6. What type of investment should I expect to make? What type of cash would be needed?

[Jim Stewart]

This gentleman is probably the largest single broker of campgrounds in the US.

http://www.buyacampground.com/broker...don/index.html

Several years ago, my wife and I investigated the possibility of buying a campground as a retirement business. What we found out then:

Very few campgounds make money after servicing the debt to acquire them. At best you are buying a job when you purchase one. The job is 80 hours a week at slave labor wages.

Most people that own them either want to sell them because they make no money or they want an inflated price to be able to afford to retire.

Government regulations are starting to crush many of the smaller camps.

There are the exceptions to the rules. The very large well run campgrounds make money, but then again they are asking in the $millions for them.

It's kind of a dream of many and turns into a nightmare for most!

We started a different business.

[bsavage]

We own a small campground in Colorado. We originally bought it as a vacation home (there is a lovely residence above the office/laundry/showers) as well as an additional business, idea being that it would be nice to have a vacation home that helped pay for itself. Long story short, we now live here full time after downsizing due to the economy. We used to pay managers to run the place, and we were fortunate to have found good people to do it. However, our accountant asked us last year if this business was ever going to make money! Now that we run it (and we live here), it most likely will make a profit this year, but not by much. Both my husband and I have to have additional income to support it during the winter, and for our travel budget as well. It is not the money making machine I would have hoped for. Franchises are nice (again, we are a small park and not a franchise), but they are expensive. The nicest, largest RV Park in our area was sold to someone a year or two ago, and it is now in receivership. Look very, very carefully at the books, and as mentioned above, be careful about how much you finance.

On the other hand, I am so thankful that we bought this place, I love it here (we wouldn't have chosen it as a vacation home if we didn't), and quite honestly, it makes me happy to help get folks settled in their sites, help them enjoy their vacation, and to have a business that is all about making people happy. I come from almost 30 years in the rat race, and though cleaning bathrooms isn't glamourous, it is almost surely better than sitting in a 4 hour meeting of puffed up types trying to find ways to assure us all of their importance. Helping people have some fun is truly important! (And a clean bathroom is always important, LOL!)

Good luck, there are lots of bargains out there now...

Brenda, of...

[Wayne M]

I have often thought of it, but never acted. If I were to do it I would do it in the warmer climates. Then you have an almost yearly income, except when the snowbirds go home. In the colder climes, you are very seasonable and have to charge, in most cases, a higher price for camping than the CG's in the South.

Good luck.

Edited: Also, a CG on a lake may cost more, but the clientele will also be boaters and fishermen/women.

[moisheh]

Jim Stewart has it right. It is like having a convenience store franchise. You are esentialy buying a job. There was a ot of money to be made when you sold the CVG but in today's down market that would not be true. When I queried a broker about the small ROI he simply told me you are buying a lifestyle?? HUH???

[hamguy]

I get so tired of calling the park office and saying, I can't connect to the wifi or it only shows local connect. The well meaninf but totally ignorant person on the desk says, well, Mr. *** just left for a 3 week vacation in Bora Bora.

One thing I would recommend ALL Park Owners do is TRAIN all counter personnel to re-boot the damn WiFi. 90% of the time, they go south just after the head man leaves for the weekend and allthat is needed is to shutdown th epower to the router and refire.

Training would make for much happier guests.

It ain't rocket surgery, folks!

[Jim Stewart]

If the help was smart enough to do what is simple to most, they wouldn't be working in a campground for minimum wage!

[hamguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Stewart If the help was smart enough to do what is simple to most, they wouldn't be working in a campground for minimum wage!

In my 6 years of half timing, I have found that most counter staff are very intelligent, mostly retired folk who work for pocket money, or are the children of the honchos.

BTW, I'm glad I don't always see the brown side of things.

[Chuck Linn]

We have some friends who bought a campground about 30 years ago. It had a large section of mobile homes as well as campsites. Because it was in a well traveled spot over the course of the last 15 yrs caltrans came in and took a large part or the property and so when they got ready to retire not a taker could be found so it looks like they will die working in that campground which but it cured me of any desire to get into that business

[Superslif]

Sometimes buying an older / outdated campground might mean putting $$$ into upgrading a facility to meet todays RV's higher expectations. Wouldn't it be nice to plan / build a campground from the ground up where sites could handle the larger units with level sites. Also not be on top of each other. It would have to have enough seasonal campers and weekenders to meet your expanses.

[Lindsay Richards]

Quote:

Then you have an almost yearly income, except when the snowbirds go home.

Having lived and camped for most of my life in Central Florida, the snowbird capital of the universe, I can you that we never bother to make reservations except in Jan, Fed, and March. Even in those months campgrounds are not full. In the remaining months the Occ Rate averages about 25%. The economy and fuel prices are going to make this even worse. This is not the time to invest in a campground. The fact that so many are on the market is very telling.