Equity LifeStyle Properties......?????

[Del Monte]

This may be old conversation, but has anyone else heard of this company or business? ELS? I live in central PA, and I came across a link at the Spring Gulch RV Resort website. It seems this business owns a huge list of RV campgrounds and resorts across the country. Is this the wave of the future as far as campground ownership is conserned? I'm also wondering what ill effects this may have on smaller Mom & Pop type CG's that can't keep up with a corporate style kind of CG? I've already noticed a trend in site rates. Most CG's in my area big or small are charging about the same nitely fees now regardless of the hookups they offer.

Del

[Del Monte]

This may be old conversation, but has anyone else heard of this company or business? ELS? I live in central PA, and I came across a link at the Spring Gulch RV Resort website. It seems this business owns a huge list of RV campgrounds and resorts across the country. Is this the wave of the future as far as campground ownership is conserned? I'm also wondering what ill effects this may have on smaller Mom & Pop type CG's that can't keep up with a corporate style kind of CG? I've already noticed a trend in site rates. Most CG's in my area big or small are charging about the same nitely fees now regardless of the hookups they offer.

Del

[GaryKD]

Yep, they and several other companies are purchasing CG all accross the country. I don't know if this is good or bad, time will tell. Right now, the bottom line is there must be a good business model and that is good for RV owners. At least they are in the CG business and keeping the properties as CGs and not condos.

[GStream40]

We winter at a ELS park in Florida, Sherwood Forest RV Resort @ Kissimmee.
ELS is the same company that owns Encore parks.
Although they do keep them as RV parks, they are heavy into putting park models into their parks taking up some RV lots. Another thing is they are a very cost cutting company. They cut everywhere they can for the $$$$.
They are even cutting the workcampers this winter from 12 down to 8 to save money, but at a cost to service for the residents.

The bad part is that they own so many resorts, if they would ever sell or fold, there would be a lot of resorts closed and condos going up.

Ron

[SeeTheUSA]

I think ELS owns Thousand Trails, too. Tough to tell who owns whom anymore.