Scott Ellison, Director MembershipDevelopment, C2C
[Note: See "reader update" at bottom of this article for latest info...]
Coast to Coast ("C2C"), the oldest (25 years) and the membership campground with the most members (300,000) is owned by the Affinity Group. Since the Affinity Group owns "virtually every publication serving the (RV) industry" this association "can improve profitability and stability". So says the film shown to prospective new member campgrounds and resorts. The resort will make money in the following ways:
1. By selling memberships. These can range from a high of $5000 to far less. The average is $3,000. Also, the resorts sell on a ratio of 10 to 1, in other words, each site can be sold 10 times (possibly more). Often however, a membership is given away, for example, with the purchase of a new motorhome. And second hand ("used") memberships go for only a faction of the original cost.
2. There are annual maintenance dues at the campgrounds. The average is $300 per year. Again this number varies a great deal.
3. Campground stores, rentals, etc.
4. Of the $4.00 per night paid by C2C members, $3.00 will be returned to the home campground.
The Regional Directors of C2C are responsible for inspecting applicant resorts. They do this on a number system 1 to 5 ,with 5 being the highest rating. Any campgound or resort receiving a 2 rating longer than a year is dropped from the system.
How does this system work for the camper? He buys a membership at a "home" park. Then he may join C2C for $59.95 per year. He can re-sell his membership if he wishes, but each membership may only be sold three times before it reverts to the park.
The camper may stay for 2 weeks in his home park and then must leave the park for one week. Then, if there is room (remember the 10x site sales), he may return for another two weeks. His stay is limited to two stays per calendar year in each non home park, and he may not stay in any park located in a 125 mile radius of his home park. Not surprisingly, some places are more popular than others, especially seasonally. Phoenix parks are easy to ge into in August; not so in January. For these stays, he will pay only $4.00 per night. There are some "good neighbor parks" which can be used to supplement these stays.These charge more, however, $11 to the C2C camper.
The participating campgrounds are independently operated. C2C cannot force them to comply with any rules (except by the fear of being dropped from the system). A financial disclosure from the campground is not mandatory when it is applying for membership in the system. Therefore, Scott Ellison recommends that a prospective "home" park shopper check the business plans of the park for viability. When the park has unusually low dues, make sure it has enough money to maintain itself. If it should have financial troubles, you can lose your membership and must re-affiliate with another campground.
Update from 7/98:
Coast to Coast fees will be going up from $4 to $6 per night starting next year. This session focused on a number of issues raised by those attending the class. Many had found that when they wanted to exercise their membership rights they had experienced problems. Some said the park insisted on placing them near a busy highway, railroad track, or otherwise in an undesireable portion of the park -- with the obvious intent of saving the "better spaces" for higher paying guests. Others had found that the parks insisted that only "$11 sites" were available, even though the park was less than half full.
RVers asked whether the "comment" form in the C2C magazine was taken seriously when it was filled out and sent in as a complaint. The answer was that not much attention is paid to these form letters; and that if a member really wants to have a grievance heard, he should write a separate letter.
C2C parks which are not living up to the required standards are placed on probation. However C2C will not disclose to its members which parks are on the probation list. Neither will C2C disclose information it may have concerning the financial viability of its member parks.
The rules for purchase and sale of membership vary dramatically from park to park. In some cases the obligation to pay the annual dues continues even beyond the death of the member, and becomes a liability of the estate. Because of the conflicting and confusing rules which apply to each park, a prospective purchaser should ensure that he or she fully understand all the terms and conditions before buying a campground membership.
The question was asked: Why don't the membership organizations such as C2C adopt a standardized set of terms and conditions which would be applicable to each and every park admitted into the system. That way the conflicts and confusion could be eliminated altogether. Unfortunately there did not seem to be a meaningful response to the inquiry.
Reader Update 10/01:
I work at a Coast Deluxe park. I sell the Coast to Coast Deluxe memberships and this is how it works:
1. The average membership is approximately $5,000 - $6,000 (That part was true in the original article).
2. The membership can be transferred unlimited times (not just 3)
3. As far as complaints regarding certain parks... Call your home resort. What we have done at our resort is call the complained about park and pretend that we are a Coast Deluxe member (to see how we are treated). If we get a negative response (this has happened on one occasion), then that park is contacted by the regional manager and put on a "warning". If the same problems arise, that park will be dropped out of the system. Needless to say, we have had no other problems with that park since they were contacted by the Regional Manager.
4. With the Coast Deluxe membership at our resort, we are currently offering 7 other parks (besides their home park) that they can go to for free. The same rules apply to all eight resorts (14 days in, 7 days out - unlimited usage).
5. Also, with Coast Deluxe you are now allowed 28 days per annual year at any of the resorts in the Coast to Coast book. (It only used to be 14). Still in 14 - out 7. Or however you want to use the days.
6. Also, we are only allowed to sell 6 memberships to 1 campsite. Coast to Coast has evaluated the "normal" usage of parks to RVers in our system. Of course on holidays the "normal" usage goes up, we ask you to make reservations to ensure that we have the right size RV on the right size site. No point putting a pop-up on a site that will fit a 50ft RV.
7. Plus with Coast to Coast Deluxe, as opposed to public campgrounds, there are no extra charges for visitors or pets. On all of our sites, you are allowed to have your RV, 2 vehicles, 2 tents, household pets and up to 10 people (if you want more than 10 people, we won't say anything - that's your choice to be cramped or not).
8. If you are not interested in some of the features of Coast to Coast Deluxe, they can be taken out and the price will be reduced accordingly.
9. Plus, now with Coast Deluxe, your children over 21 can join for dues only.
10. Along with annual dues, which go back to your home park for additions, improvements, upgrades there is also a Coast to Coast annual fee of $109.95. This renews all your cards, books, everything in your packet.
That is basically the gist of Coast to Coast Deluxe.
Thank you for your time. I just wanted to make sure that your website was accurate.
Lenita Lenita