Is the death of mom-and-pop campgrounds really such a bad thing?
So, Im just going to throw this question out there. Now, before you bring out the tar and feathers, hear me out. Im not sure yet myself if the loss of small, family-owned parks should be decried or celebrated. Im just bringing the issue out of the dusty topic closet for a little discussion. Id really like to hear what you think on the subject. What got me thinking along these lines was the column last Sunday by Andy Zipser, the former owner of the Walnut Hills RV Park in Staunton, Virginia. Andy recently sold his park to an up-and-coming corporate group that owns or operates more than a dozen parks. Ive known Andy for all eight of his campground-owning years since, for most of them, his park was a KOA and I was the vice president of Communications for Kampgrounds of America Inc. We didnt cross paths often (mostly I heard from Andy when he rightfully pointed out a typo in some of my content). Even though we didnt always agree, I have always respected Andy. Hes a smart fellow  smart enough to purchase a great campground that he undoubtedly left better than he found it and was able to reap the rewards of his efforts. Andys story of campground ownership actually reflects the outcome most park owners seek. First, you buy a campground. Then you pour in your sweat equity and the improvements you can afford for a few years. In the end, you successfully cash out  sometimes to another family, but now its more likely  like Andy  you sell to a group or corporation. So, back to my original statement. Small mom-and-pop parks tend to grow slowly  Over the past two decades, Ive watched hundreds of eager couples purchase mom-and-pop-type campgrounds. Most were mortgaged to the hilt to make it happen, although they were required to have at least a minimal amount of available operating capital to start their ownership experience. Campgrounds  even small ones  do make money. But typically, the financial demands of debt service and other family expenses dont leave a lot of cash to pour back into these smaller campground businesses (try as they might). Small, family-owned campgrounds certainly do add improvements and amenities where they can. Its just a slower process. Thats when corporate buyers can actually be a plus. They usually finance most or all of a campground purchase on their own and they have the cash needed for the quick improvements, added amenities, and campground expansions campers are now demanding. You can point that finger at yourself. Well, that might be a bit harsh. But in general, its the demands of the market that dictate what happens in any industry. Campers today want more. More food services, more amenities, more sites and more space. The list is long. A small 30/50-site park, as my friend Andy pointed out, cant afford to keep up with all of the current trends. Take a look at most campground reviews and youll see many complaints about poor WiFi, unpaved roads, and sites build in the 1970s that dont fit current RVs sporting five slide outs. It all adds up and these are all issues that only cash can fix. Like I said earlier, there is a lot of money to be made in camping, but it has to be done on a larger scale to really turn top dollar. Corporate buyers can afford to take a small park that comes with unused land and quickly ramp it up by adding hundreds of new sites and amenities to give campers just what they say they really want. Industries always react to market demands. The downside  Whats happening now in camping isnt new. Every industry evolves. The mom-and-pop 12-unit roadside motels that sprouted along the nations two-lane highways in the 1960s and 70s gave way to the Motel 6s and Super 8s. They, in turn, had to share space with even larger motel chains as the interstate highway system bloomed. The same goes for retail. Not many small-town hardware stores survived the arrival of a Home Depot. And you boondockers out there who are worried about the declining number of Walmarts that allow overnight camping probably wont get much sympathy from the thousands of small local businesses driven out by Sam Waltons behemoth creation. The real downside of this evolution in camping, at least for us long-timers who remember it as it was, is that bigger parks with more investments in expansions and amenities will undoubtedly charge higher rates. Not only that, but more sophisticated operations will bring in dynamic pricing, just as Andy predicted last week. That means campsite prices will be handled just as seat ticket rates are managed in the airline industry. The price you pay will be determined by the day of the week, the camps available inventory, the demand for a certain type of site, even the time of day you try to reserve. Its all driven by algorithms, and the factors are endless and automated. But it all leads to you possibly paying a lot more for the same site (or at least a very different rate) than your neighbor. It doesnt matter if we are talking about the future of national and state park campgrounds or private parks  be careful what you ask for. Endless surveys and reviews of post-stay comments clearly show that campers want more and bigger sites, more amenities, better WiFi, and sophisticated online reservation systems. And they want it all now. That takes capital, and that requires owners with more resources. But dont feel too bad for those remaining mom-and-pop park owners. They are well positioned for a big payday, just as they dreamed when they first purchased their campgrounds. Expect to see more big-money players flow into the campground business in the next few years. Youll also see a boom in new campground construction (thats already started). Ultimately, the demands from the camper market will dictate how many campsites are added to the national inventory, the amenities that are offered, and what a night of camping will cost. Im still not sure. Family ownership has been the bedrock of the camping business for 60 years. The vast majority of owners I dealt with in my career were wonderful folks. Im sad to see them leaving the business. I can remember early in my corporate KOA life when we called campgrounds the last small towns in America. I suspect corporate-owned parks might not be able to maintain that Mayberry feeling as campgrounds surpass the 500-site mark. I guess well have to wait and see if camping as we know it (or knew it) becomes just a fond memory. Now its your turn. Tell me what you think. ##RVT1004