New Campground?

[B and B]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I may be biased being a seasonal camper myself, but this seems like a mistake to me. Seasonal campers are a guaranteed source of income throughout the year. Especially those lean times between the major holidays where not a lot of people are out camping.

Seasonal camper can generate income during shut down months.

Our old park charged the following

Winter Storage fee $400.00
Electric Fee $25
Pre Booking fee for next season $500.00

Place was locked up, no one allowed all winter

If you pulled your trailer in the spring you lost the season booking fee. They also charged you a $250 move out fee, Sod Replacement fee of $200.

A licence to print money and they would not allow you to leave until you paid.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by IsleDog

This is a heated topic to a lot of campers and we all camp differently. this is not to bash those of you who have carts, but to provide a perspective of those who do not enjoy them in a campground. I see that lots of people on this site are very respectful and actually care about others while camping. all too often, we are the minority in the campgrounds.

When we see that golf carts are allowed, we usually pass on the campground. I have yet to see a campground that actually enforces the rules about no kids driving them or learning to drive, speed limits, not drinking and driving, loud music from them, lights flashing and lighting us up at all hours of the night, not getting out of the way of people pulling campers in and out, almost hitting people walking, and turning the park into their own personal Daytona 500. unfortunately its usually the perm sites that cause the most problems (or rental carts). stricter enforcement of the rules would certainly change my attitude. At 30 acres, there should be no need for carts.

I build motorized bicycles for fun and to sell. i NEVER fire them up in a park. even when allowed (they are street legal) i wouldnt do it. its fun to me, but annoying to others. your cart isnt as quiet as you think it is, even the electric ones. its the same as my dog barking all the time and my 2-stroke motor bikes racing by.

Our CG does a pretty good job of policing the carts. We are also required to have our site #'s visible on the cart itself. So it's easy enough to identify any trouble makers and report them to management. They also don't allow them to be out after 11PM which is our quiet time.

In all of the years we've been camping in CGs that allow carts, I've witnessed problems like you describe maybe once or twice.

My cart isn't any louder than my vehicle would be if I had to use it to drive around the CG.

[cstreu1026]

I'd love to see another option in Ohio but its an expensive proposition. I believe the Wapakoneta KOA is for sale for about $1.5 million and according to property records the Lebanon KOA sold for $1 million. Just in the last few days there was a story about a proposed new Jellystone in Mt. Pleasant WV. The price tag on that proposed development was reported to be $10 million. When we travel alone (my wife, 6 year old son, and me) we tend to look for campgrounds that offer lots of activities and are willing to pay a premium. We prefer spacious shaded sites as well. The things that tend to frustrate us as campers are amenities like pools that are undersized for the campground and outdated equipment. The later shouldn't be a problem for new construction though.

[Chuck_S]

Kaadk --

I'll not math check ya .

Reminds me of farming. I know a couple of guys who are very successful farmers. But they never had to start from scratch or even buy them, they inherited them. The secret of success it seems.

There are abandoned campgrounds everywhere. Slippery slope starts with golf carts. (Seeing what that stirs up! )

-- Chuck

[formerFR]

to sum up this very 'lengthy' thread/subject/discussion:

now we know why every campground and rv park is 'different'!


everyone has good points - and while some campgrounds and rv parks adhere to several 'basic' rules within the 'camping' community, at least what we most expect, it's VERY clear why most all do NOT do everything the same - there is no 'perfect' answer to a campground or rv park. You are dealing with PEOPLE, and everyone can like or expect things differently.

While I might not care whether a site has a fire pit, some folks would just absolutely scream about not having one - how can you 'camp' without a fire???!

Some folks will want not only a bath house, with laundry facilities, but a NICE bath house...'cause "gross' just won't work"!
I could care less about needing a bath house.

Many will say that having flat easy-to-maneuver sites, with wide berths, are whats really needed, but I like having variety, different levels of sites, and different points of view - I want to also be able to just 'drive into' my site, and not be charged with having to back-in, if I like it better that way. Woe is me.

And don't charge 'too much', 'cause then we'll all be right back on this forum giving you and EAR FULL! and yet, if you don't charge 'enough', you might find that you're not really a campground or rv park, but a haven for full-time locals loving your low rent, and leaving no room for the rest of us...
I've seen several 'Travel' rv parks, with 'Travel' as part of their name, but I'll swear that NONE of those campers have ever 'traveled' anywhere!


enjoy....

...maybe I should just start my new business now...
'Campground/RV Park Owner's Design and Solutions Architect'
(I'll ask for each of your input, of course : )

[rracer5]

Interesting thread. All above post are valid concerns/wishes to all campers, RV'ers & seasonals. A daunting task to undertake and I wish you luck! You'll never make everybody happy and that's just human nature. We all have our personal and family pleasure preferences.
Speaking of which.......my only really pet peeve is checking into a popular campground /resort on a busy weekend and being given a site that is too short or tight for my rig. Meanwhile, I find more than one 40' - 60' site with a small pop-up or tent pitched in the middle of it along with more than a few smaller sites that would have suited the size of their accommodations.
So, if you choose to become a membership park and allow incoming members to pick their own site, please implore them to be courteous and choose a site suitable for the size of their rig. I realize this may strike a cord with some but, I started out in a tent, small pop up, a larger pop up w/water & electric, 2 TT's and now my 5'er, and I always tried to choose a site appropriate for the size & facility requirements of my equipment. After all, do you really need a FHU 40' site if camping in a tent!

Golf carts - Require proof of insurance with you (park name) as loss payee. No proof (declaration page), don't even unload it! That's the rule at my current home park.

[pwoods]

I'd like to echo IsleDog and the desire to camp with our kids who are in tents. For health reasons (oxygen and cpap) I need electrical hookups (and prefer FHU) but it is very rare that we find campgrounds that allow both tents and RVs much less in the same spot. Cabins or Yurts plus a section of combined tent/RV sites might expand your rental sector. Grandparents in a cabin, us in the RV, and kids in the tent.

[madatme]

Originally Posted by Zak1

Hello all my FR friends,

I am seriously considering building a new private campground near me in Central, Ohio/Delaware County. I have an option on 30 acres, partially wooded.
I am at a point in my life where I'm tired of flying all over the world for work and I think I would love doing this. My question(s) is this;

Has anyone on this forum owned, worked or know someone who has owned one and what their experience is/was?

How many spots would be comfortable
I really would want to know what would bring you to it in the first place and more importantly, what would bring you back?
My family loves Anchor Down in Tennessee and would use hat as an eventual model.

I really want to start a new chapter in my life and I love the RV life..

message me when its ready for invasion, Im in

[CampingGator]

You will have to find your own niche. Certainly, take the most common desires of privacy, roominess, shade, and hookups, but go with your dream and desires. You may not appeal to everyone, but that is ok. Those who like your design will camp there. Those who are flexible will camp there. Those who are rigid won’t and you dont want them anyway!

[Judemaster]

We love state and national parks. Few have power. Most don’t. My husband has had a cpap for yrs. we alway have a an extra battery for him to hook up his inverter too. Most of those parks will allow a tent also on your site. You just have to add it to your total length so your site is big enough. We have solar now to keep the trailer batteries charged and we’re good to go.

[todalake]

Originally Posted by CampingGator

You will have to find your own niche. Certainly, take the most common desires of privacy, roominess, shade, and hookups, but go with your dream and desires. You may not appeal to everyone, but that is ok. Those who like your design will camp there. Those who are flexible will camp there. Those who are rigid won’t and you dont want them anyway!

Read all the replies but CampingGator probably said it best. You can't be all things to everybody just pick your niche. Have lots of money and time cause that's what it going to take to get started. As I said earlier, "hobby or business".

[WeLoveCampin]

Im in also from Reynoldburg, Oh

[dj-Harry]

Paved roads (hate muddy roads and sites). Gravel or paved sites. Wide roads for back-ins, or have mostly pull-ins, for big truck/RV units (my hooked up truck/RV was 60’ in length and a challenge to get in many campgrounds / campsites. Good fire pits.

Don’t make bigger or more maintenance intensive than you’re willing to pay upkeep for, or hire people to maintain/manage. Neglected/dirty campgrounds and bathhouses are a turn off.

Decide if you want mainly kid/family friendly, or not, and plan amenities accordingly.

If doing as a hobby, smaller is probably better.

Have fun!

[RestlessRich]

Go to RVParkStore.com and buy their books on owning and operating a RV Park

[1eyeky]

We live in a private campground in northern Kentucky. Nice shower,,,,bathrooms. Only 5 full hookup sites up on a hill. The water running from the hilly woods comes through our area first,then goes down the hill. It makes it pretty muddy. They have 28 sites in the flat part. I believe it is on 10 acres. You said you have 30 acres,how many sites are you proposing?
I agree with most posts about concrete pads and a majority of pull throughs. My wife thinks you should make laundry facilities at your site . We lost our house in Oklahoma. I am medically retired,we, like a lot of older people have to live in our camper fulltime.
You should put in some permanent sites as some people have no other place to live. You have to screen carefully. There are a lot of Veterans and or disabled people that have nowhere else to go.

[Judemaster]

Very good point!
I know some of the manufacturers are making some that are ADA compliant with lower counters, wider aisle, and even lifts.

[sherman12]

Though my DW and I abhor campgrounds with seasonal's, I can see the economic need for them. If they are separate from the the transient sites, then they really should'n be an issue. I agree will most comments on the use of golf carts, they are annoying to no end. Again, this raises the question of what kind of campground the OP is looking to build. I understand the use of carts for seasonal spending a considerable amount of time at their sites. However, for the weekend warriors looking for a lil R&R for 2-3 days they are a P.I.A.

I don't believe you need the expense of concrete pads, just level stone binder works for me. If the OP puts to much into the infrastructure at build, then subsequent maintenance, that will effect price per site. Personally I try to find CG's at $50 and under per night. I'll give up having sewer or 50 amp service to hit my target amount. If my daily expenses start getting to high, I'd just ditch the RV and do my traveling in car staying at mom and pop road side motels.