Memphis-based RVC Outdoor Destinations acquires first location in the West

By Tom Bailey Jr.
via (The Commercial Appeal)

A young, Memphis-based company has expanded out West as it works to scale up its upscale camping facilities. RVC Outdoor Destinations has acquired a campground in Colorado Springs, with plans to renovate and rebrand it under the RVC "flag," the company announced Tuesday.

The 200-acre grounds, now called Garden of the Gods Campground, is just west of Colorado Springs and has views of the popular Pikes Peak. RVC Outdoor Destinations provides outdoor resort destinations with upscale amenities, particularly for travelers in recreational vehicles. But RVC also provides yurts, cabins and cottages.

Last year, RVC opened its sixth site -- and the nearest one to Memphis -- called Catherine's Landing in Hot Springs, Ark. It also has locations at Pine Mountain, Ga., Live Oak Landing near Destin, Fla., Mountain Springs near Asheville, N.C., and two at Carrabelle Beach, Fla.

The company experienced a "great" first quarter, is receiving "extraordinarily good" guest-survey scores, and has seen "a lot of growth" in visitors to its website, rvcoutdoors.com, president Andy Cates said Tuesday.

"We're excited and enthused, but still careful," he said.

Garden of the Gods had been a top RV and outdoor lodging destination in the Colorado Springs area, but had been bank-owned since 2010, according to a company news release. RVC will immediately start renovating the property, including improving tent sites, resurfacing pools, improving existing RV sites and adding eight new ones. The facility's name will be changed to Garden of the Gods RV Resort.

"The Garden of the Gods acquisition is a terrific addition to our portfolio of upscale outdoor vacation properties," Cates said in a release.

"The upgraded camping experience we offer is resonating with guests. It fits with what a lot of people are looking for in a vacation these days because it is unique, affordable and allows guests to enjoy some of America's most beautiful natural landscapes with amenities that truly make it a destination experience."

The upscale amenities include concierge service, dog parks, modern swimming pools, boating and fishing rentals, beer and wine bars, and free Wi-Fi and cable. RVC is investing a lot of money per unit, so it must scale up to a network of dozens of facilities around the nation to make its business model work, Cates said last year.

"We're looking at a couple of properties for joint ventures," he responded Tuesday when asked about future expansion.

"... We are focused West and refocused, too, on Florida now. We've got the Gulf Coast and are looking to get further central and south" in Florida, Cates said. The company's strategy includes working to segment the industry, much like the categories of hotels from lower cost, lower service (Motel 6) to higher cost, higher service (Hilton).

"It's inevitable that it happens," Cates said of the segmentation. "I think we're helping agitate to accelerate that evolution. ... We want to be the leader in the Hilton niche that now doesn't exist."

Garden of the Gods Campground sold to Tenn. company

BY: WAYNE HEILMAN

wayneh@gazette.com

The Garden of the Gods Campground near Manitou Springs has been sold to a Memphis, Tenn.-based company as part of its expansion into the Western U.S. with a chain of outdoor and recreational vehicle resorts.

RVC Outdoor Destinations bought the 13.3-acre property at 3704 W. Colorado Ave. from Farmers Insurance Group Federal Credit Union of California for an undisclosed price and is spending $200,000 to renovate the property, including resurfacing pools, improving existing RV sites and adding eight new concrete RV sites. The company is studying whether to spend at least another $200,000 on additional upgrades needed to bring it to the level of its six other RV resorts, said RVC President Andy Cates.

“We think that this property is already the pre-eminent outdoor hospitality property in the region, and once we complete the renovations and rebranding, we know it will be the pre-eminent property in the region,” Cates said. “We are trying to create a Hilton level of quality in the outdoor hospitality industry.”

The credit union ended up with the campground in June after a California-based partnership transferred ownership to it in the midst of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed in 2010. The partnership owed the credit union more than $4 million it borrowed in 2006 to buy the property from local businessman Chuck Murphy.

“We had been looking for a year to expand in the West, and I had vacationed in and liked Colorado Springs, so when this opportunity became available and met so many of our goals, we jumped at it,” Cates said. “This property has a great location and has created a lot of wonderful memories for a lot of guests. We see Colorado Springs as a continually growing tourism destination both in the short-term and the long-term.”

RVC plans to change the name of the campground to Garden of the Gods RV Resort within a few weeks and will bring it under the RVC Outdoor Destinations brand by year’s end. The 6-year-old company also owns RV resorts in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina that provide a variety of lodging options including RV sites, cottages and yurts and feature dog parks, swimming pools, boating and fishing rentals, refreshments, free wireless Internet and cable television service and gift shops.

via (Source)