Ben Quiggle

Rising out of the Utah desert is a new oasis of sorts, a 53-acre Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, which offers expansive luxury camping and glamping opportunities and a massive waterpark as well.

Located in Hurricane, Utah, this is Utah’s first-ever Jellystone Park and it was developed by Scott Nielson, who previously owned one of the region’s largest RV dealerships.

Besides RV sites and cabins, the resort features two swimming pools, multiple giant water slides, a splash ground with kiddie slides and a lazy river. Campers can also hang out at the man-made lake with its beach and challenging floating obstacle course, jumping pillow, large playground, gem mining or a number of sport and game courts.

Nielson recently was interviewed for WCM’s Park Update, a weekly podcast and video show produced by Woodall’s Campground Magazine (WCM), a sister publication of RVBusiness. Ben Quiggle, editor of WCM, and Mike Gast, former vice president of communications at Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA), co-host the weekly program.

The show is sponsored by Midwest Electric Products.

During the show, Nielson dived into the issues he faced developing the park, what spurred him to go into park ownership, how his kids helped him make key decisions and more.

Below is an edited transcript of that show. You can watch the full show at https://www.youtube.com/@woodallscm or listen to it as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

WCM: What were you doing before the campground bug hit you?

Scott Nielson: I owned a chain of RV dealerships, Nielsen RV, and when we sold to Camping World, I decided instead of selling an RV that I wanted to sell the fun.

WCM: How did your experience on the dealership side prepare you for park ownership?

Nielson: When you’re selling RVs, you know exactly what the turning radiuses are, about opposing slide outs, the connections, the amperage…etc., so it really helped us develop these campsites to accommodate big rigs. I developed every campsite to accommodate a Prevost bus essentially.

WCM: It seems as though you have taken this development a lot further than we see a lot of new construction projects go. It looks like it has been there longer than it has been. You obviously decided that you weren’t going to open this thing with multiple phases. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of missing pieces. Was that intentional?

Nielson: We wanted to get all of our attractions and all the amenities upfront. We do have a phase two. It actually was a phase two and a phase three, but we incorporated all of it into phase two and that is about 230 additional sites. Those will come online here in just a couple months.

When everything is complete, we will have around 330 big sites.

WCM: What’s your customer base look like? Are you after the total transient that’s going to be going someplace? Are you trying to grab people for a week or two or longer?

Nielson: During the summer we’re after that transient nightly rental, but during the winter time we’re in a mild climate to where a lot of folks from states like Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Salt Lake City, come down. It’s a really nice climate and the senior citizens come down, the snowbirds and they spend the winter.

There’s a lot of different activities we’re going to do like events and ice cream socials, and all that kind of cool stuff with entertainment to accommodate the snowbirds when they come down to the resort. It is a full-time, year -round resort. We never close and a lot of the resorts are busting at the seams here in Southern Utah with the snowbirds during the wintertime.

WCM: You have a tremendous water park, but you are located in the desert, how was that even logistically possible?

Nielson: That was a challenge because we do go through famines, if you will, where there’s just scarcity of water. What people don’t realize, though is there are massive aquifers under the ground. We have these massive lakes, if you will, under the ground and if you can pay to drill the well and pump the water to procure that then you’re okay, and that is what we were able to do. We drilled down about 450 feet, and we pump about a hundred gallons a minute.

That is how we filled our manmade lake. We own our own acre feet of water and then the health department requires culinary water for the water park.

WCM: What was the process to get this park built? Was the local government easy to work with?

Nielson: It was three years of dealing with a lot of red tape and other bureaucratic issues, but overall, everyone wanted to help us. Eventually, we were able to get to the point where we could start building.

When the building started we had to blast through the entire 50 acres because it sits on a major lava flow with really hard rock. We had to blast the area just to get it level and then dig in the trenches and lay in miles and miles of pipe for sewer and water, along with electrical wire.

WCM: You mentioned in a press release that your kids were involved somewhat in the process. Can you talk a little bit about how they helped?

Nielson: We went all over the country and we stopped at the Jellystone Park in Larkspur, Colo., which is a very nice park. We went golfing and my kids — I have seven kids and my youngest is six years old, my oldest is 17 —start getting hot and they’re tired and they start complaining, and I’m thinking, “Wait a minute, what’s wrong with this picture here?” Then we went to Randy Isaacson’s park in Caledonia, Wis., and they have an indoor golf area. It was like glow in the dark mini golf and my kids loved it. It was also built in a smaller area. My kids are like, “This is a no brainer.”

So, we’re going to be doing this backlit mini golf in our event center, as opposed to a one-and-a-half-acre miniature golf. That was all from the kids. I could go on and on about situations like that, where the kids really enjoy certain things at Jellystone, like the mining sluice, but going to most Jellystones, they have this small little mining sluice. They don’t make it a production. We made our mining sluice a full-on production. We made it huge, but now we base our events and activities around that. I’m telling you, since we opened, we will have 60, 70 people out there mining with this sluice material, and that was all because of my kids. That’s what they enjoy, and so based on that, that’s how we designed the park. Multi-million-dollar decisions.

WCM: What challenges does the manmade lake bring to park ownership?

Nielson: We had to get a couple lifeguards that were deep water certified. Keeping qualified lifeguards has been a challenge because we are a year-round park. So, when school starts back up that can be an issue.

The process of just having it installed was also interesting. Commercial Recreation Specialists came out and did the installation. They were phenomenal to work with. Very seamless process and it worked out great. We lined the entire lake with clay instead of like an inner tube type liner which makes it friendlier to the environment.

WCM: Are you thinking of owning multiple parks down the road?

Nielson: The plan with this park was that it is one park of many. The parent company I created is Glamper’s Inn and my motivation is to build that brand. I noticed that the big dogs, like Sun Outdoors and Equity Lifestyles and so forth, they just don’t have a lot of infrastructure or parks from the Midwest to west coast. Through the development company and my experience in the RV business, I think there is plenty of room in this space.

The post Former RV Dealer Scott Nielson Now Runs a Jellystone first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Toby O’Rourke, president and CEO of Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA), kicked off the annual KOA Convention on Tuesday (Nov. 19) by highlighting the positives in a year marked by slower traffic at campgrounds nationwide.

She noted that KOA’s NPS score, a data set used to measure guest satisfaction, had moved up one point in 2024 to 71. That is up from 70 in 2023 and significantly up from 53 in 2011 when the company started measuring NPS.

Total system registrations over a trailing 12-month period are still up, marking a record for the company at over 5.6 million, while year-end registration numbers are on par with last year’s record numbers.

When it comes to registration revenue, O’Rourke explained that 45% of parks were ahead in 2024, while 11% were flat and 44% were behind.

On the overall revenue front, O’Rourke noted the complex balance that exists between occupancy numbers and revenue.

“We can see what a unique year it has been,” she said. “Twenty-seven percent of parks are ahead of last year in terms of occupancy, 8% were flat and 65% were below in camper nights. On stage last year I talked about a goal to increase camper nights by 2%, but overall, we saw decreasing nights again this year.

“Half of our parks are above occupancy from 2019 and half of our parks are below,” O’Rourke added. “When you see these numbers, it underscores how impressive revenue growth has been. During this same cycle, we’ve increased revenue by 134%. Parks have found ways to increase their ADR despite decreasing occupancy. Ninety-two percent of campgrounds have increased their overall revenue during this pandemic cycle. The fact that KOA continues to grow despite lower occupancies speaks volumes about our value. Campers are looking for experiences and we are here to deliver.”

Of course, everyone is wondering when the decline in occupancy will reverse itself and O’Rourke said it isn’t an easy question to answer.

“We’re not alone in these occupancy declines,” she explained. “All of our peers across the industry are seeing the same levels of decreases, if not more. There are a lot of macro-level factors at play.”

O’Rourke highlighted that international travel is up 33% from where it was in 2019 with one in five people saying they plan to travel abroad in the next 12 months. Inbound international travel on the flipside has not rebounded and is still lagging behind 2019 levels.

Cruising is also up 6% over 2019 with 10 million new cruisers in the past few years and a younger demographic.

“I think all of these factors have had an impact, but I also think it’s a short-term headwind,” she said. “This business is going to return. We haven’t lost the camper. They’re simply taking in other forms of travel that were more heavily impacted during the pandemic.

“Cruising and international travel is expensive and that was taken in by those who could afford it, and that is a proportion of our camper base,” O’Rourke added. “But another trend that I’d like to talk about is this disparity we’re seeing in travel behavior between lower-income households and upper-income households.”

She highlighted credit card debt is at its highest level in 12 years and personal savings are dropping, with lower-income households experiencing the most pain from higher inflation.

“That impacts a significant portion of our camper base with 36% of our campers having an average annual household income of $50,000 or below,” O’Rourke noted. “Fifty-nine percent of our campers have a household income of below $75,000 and one-third of campers feel that their financial situation has worsened this year.”

All of this, she told attendees, impacts discretionary spending and how people travel.

“Families are making tough decisions about how and where to spend their money, and for many, that means looking at their travel budgets,” O’Rourke explained. “We see KOA campers opting for shorter stays, camping closer to home, looking for discounts, looking for promotions or seeking out lower-cost camping options. Half of our campers said that inflation has caused them to wait longer to book, and they’re not buying new RVs.”

She also addressed the fact that park owners are also feeling a financial pinch in their wallets.

“Your expenses are increasing, and your margins are being compressed,” O’Rourke said.

Time to Rebound

O’Rourke explained that it is time for park owners to realize that the playing field has changed and that it is no longer business as usual.

“When the playing field has changed, we need to change the game,” she noted. “We’ve been in this cycle long enough. There’s a lot of talk, we’re always looking backward, we’re always comparing. It’s time to move on, look forward and move this cycle back up and start a new business cycle, set a new baseline, and grow from there, and to do that, we need to change the game.”

O’Rourke told attendees that it isn’t just campgrounds that parks are competing against. It is every option in a particular market that people can choose to spend their time and money with.

“Camping has always been a budget-friendly alternative to travel, and we need to lean into that strength,” she explained. “We need to get existing campers to camp more. One more night, one more stay. We need to bring new campers in, and appeal to those who want to take a vacation but aren’t sure they can afford to take a cruise or go to a theme park this year.

“COVID brought so many people to camping, so they already have context and experience about being outdoors and they might be doing something else right now, but it is not hard to remind them about the fun they had and invite them back,” O’Rourke added.

What is the Game Plan?

O’Rourke said that the KOA system was going to lean into value to attract cost-conscious campers.

“We need to send a clear and authentic message that KOA is an affordable, high-quality experience that’s worth every dollar,” she noted. “Our amenities and our services need to reflect that value, build loyalty and differentiate in a crowded marketplace. When dollars are tight, campers, like all consumers, are selective in what they choose to do. They will look for brands that deliver a sense of trust, reliability and value.”

O’Rourke said the company is also going to leverage its loyalty program, KOA Rewards.

“KOA rewards offer substantial value not just in building revenue, but in securing long-term relationships,” she highlighted. “When faced with options, a loyalty program will provide competitive differentiation.”

For KOA, campers who are a part of the KOA Rewards program account for 59% of all camper nights.

O’Rourke also highlighted how parks can leverage recent travel trends to give people a reason to come to a particular park, drive more revenue through better revenue management and take advantage of the KOA marketing team, which has seen tremendous success in making sure KOA parks are ranked higher and are easier for campers to find.

Convention Highlights

Besides O’Rourke, other KOA officials including Diane Eichler, senior vice president of marketing; Andy Metroka, chief information officer; Aaron Williamson, vice president of franchise services; Kim Wootteon, vice president of commercial strategy for KOA; and Mark Lemoine, senior vice president of franchise operations; all spoke on different projects KOA is focused on to improve the system and help franchisees continue to grow.

Ryan Estis gave a keynote speech during lunch on Tuesday that focused on human-centered leadership and how park owners can pour into their staff and campers to create a better hospitality mindset and park.

Workshops were also held throughout the day on Tuesday, along with an event supporting the KOA Owners Association (KOA) in the evening.

Today (Nov. 20), KOA will be handing out its new ICON Awards, which will celebrate the parks at the very top of the system as it relates to customer service and performance. During lunch, KOA will be handing out its Presidents and Founders Awards, Rising Star Award, Park of the Year Award and Partnership Awards.

Workshops will also be held throughout the day, along with the opening of the expo this evening. The expo is expected to have more than 145 booths and will include a full camp store set up this year to help KOA train franchisees on how to better operate their stores.

The convention is set to wrap up on Thursday.

The post O’Rourke Notes Positives, Headwinds at KOA Convention first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

NAPPANEE, Ind. and STATESVILLE, N.C. – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB today announced that Newmar Corporation, a premium manufacturer of luxury recreational vehicles and fully-owned subsidiary of Winnebago industries (NYSE: WGO) has been named the official luxury motor coach provider of the CLUB in a new one-year partnership.

For more than 50 years, Newmar has manufactured recreational vehicles that are the pinnacle of luxury, comfort, performance and design, giving their customers an unrivaled luxury outdoor experience. Now, LEGACY M.C. teammates and guests will have access to an elevated race-day experience with a new, custom-built King Aire coach designed specifically for the hospitality and corporate needs of the team. This 45-foot RV will feature a full custom graphics package in the CLUB’s black, gold, and white color pallet and will travel to 20-plus events in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, providing a space for entertainment and trackside hosting.

“Like LEGACY M.C., Newmar has a rich tradition of performance and a deep commitment to excellence,” said Newmar President Casey Tubman. “We are thrilled to partner with the team, building on our shared values while celebrating the past and future legacies of our companies. We cannot thank Cal, Jimmie and team enough for the warm welcome into the LEGACY family and look forward to an amazing 2025.”

The new Newmar coach will provide LEGACY M.C. with a guest experience solution that will set it apart from typical at-race entertainment of the past. Designed to fit LEGACY M.C.’s specifications and need to double as an entertainment space and office meeting area, Newmar once again proves itself to be the most customizable production coach on the market today, able to take on any challenge to create the ultimate home away from home.

“Having been involved in motorsport for close to 50 years I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work within the Formula One, IndyCar, off-road, sports car, and NASCAR spaces,” said Cal Wells III, chief executive officer of LEGACY M.C. “In each discipline our operations were critically affected by having a connected space that provides a quality environment for everything from engineering processes to hospitality. LEGACY M.C.’s new partnership with Newmar will provide an extraordinary platform to conduct all aspects of our motorsports business. We are so excited to have them aboard.”

Additionally, LEGACY M.C. will utilize this fully customized corporate coach for its at-track engineering meeting place and commercial operations activities and meetings, allowing the CLUB members to stay connected to the core product both on and off the track. 

“Our team takes great pride in every build, from our superior quality to the wood craftsmanship we are known for,” said Tubman.  “We know what it takes to deliver a luxurious home away from home and are eager to bring that experience to the track this season.”

LEGACY M.C. team will take ownership of their 45-foot 2025 Newmar King Aire in early February, and it will debut for partners and guests of the CLUB at the 2025 DAYTONA 500.

Winnebago Industries, Inc. is a leading North American manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products under the Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta brands, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds high-quality motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth-wheel products, outboard and sterndrive powerboats, pontoons, and commercial community outreach vehicles. Committed to advancing sustainable innovation and leveraging vertical integration in key component areas, Winnebago Industries has multiple facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, and Florida. The Company’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and traded under the symbol WGO. For access to Winnebago Industries’ investor relations materials visit www.winnebagoind.com/investors.

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

The post LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Names Newmar an ‘Official Provider’ first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA) hosted a special group of workshops at the San Antonio/Alamo KOA in San Antonio, Texas, before the kickoff of its annual conference on Monday (Nov. 18).

Over 100 park owners/operators took part in the event, which included a chance for owners to walk through the park while also learning about different facets of park ownership.

Workshops in which attendees took part included:

• Camp Store: Drive Profit Through Product and Price
• Safety Safari: A Real-Time Campground Risk Assessment Workshop
• Site Grading for Success
• Elevate the Experience: Planning Recreation for Campgrounds
• Resurrecting the Unrentable: Cabin Repair & Refurbishment Techniques
• First Impressions Matter: Visiting a Campground Like a Guest

Throughout some of the sessions, attendees were able to visually see how the different topics impact a park and also offer feedback on what they might do differently.

Kim Wootteon, vice president of commercial strategy for KOA, spoke about the importance of dissecting data when deciding what items to put in a camp store and how that can ensure park owners are not holding on to store products for too long.

She also spoke about the difference between margins and markdowns, and how demographics are also key when deciding what to stock in a camp store.

As part of the session, attendees were then able to walk through the KOA’s camp store and note what they liked and what they had questions/suggestions on.

Barb Stachurski, co-owner of the Virginia Beach KOA, highlighted the importance of creating a recreation program during her session. She noted that camping revolves around creating memories and that a recreation program can help create those memories, whether it is through crafts, nature events, community events…etc.

Stachurski highlighted the use of community partnerships and how these partnerships can help alleviate some of the burden of doing it yourself.

“Maybe it is inviting some food trucks to come and provide food instead of doing it yourself,” she said. “Campers will appreciate the effort.”

Stachurski explained that you don’t have to start big, park owners can begin with simple stuff and then see where it goes from there.

“It is just important to remember that everything we do, we want to do it well,” she noted. “It all adds up to a great guest experience.”

First Timers Event & Welcome Reception

Later in the day, KOA held its First Timers event, which allows those attending the conference for the first time to hook up with attendees who have been coming to the KOA conference for a while. The event was marked by a large attendance, highlighting the growth of the KOA brand.

After that event, hundreds of conference attendees gathered at Rita’s on the Riverwalk for an opening night celebration that featured great food, a mariachi band and a chance for networking.

Today, KOA is officially kicking off its conference with opening speeches by KOA officials, including President and CEO Toby O’Rourke. There will also be several educational sessions held later in the morning.

Ryan Estis is set to give this year’s keynote speech during lunch. He will be speaking on human-centered leadership and how to drive growth.

More workshops will take part in the afternoon, followed by a KOA Owner’s Association Event at The Grotto.

The post Special Workshops Precede KOA’s Annual Conference in Texas first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

AURORA, Colo. – Glamping Show Americas – aka The Glamping Show – was marked by a noticeable increase in traffic, with many vendors reporting to Woodall’s Campground Magazine (WCM) . a sister publication of RVBusiness, that they remained busy throughout the day.

To kick off the day, Scott Bahr, president of Cairn Consulting Group, presented data from the 2024 Glamping Americas State of the Industry Report. The report reviews glamping development during the past year and provides insights into trends, as well as barriers to growth, resources needed, guest expectations, innovations and key growth sectors.

Other sessions included:

• Ruben Martinez, president of the American Glamping Association, hosted a panel on Strategies for Exceptional Food & Beverage in Glamping which offered a discussion on how to delight guests with culinary offerings.
• Ben Quiggle, editor of Woodall’s Campground Magazine, moderated a panel that tackled how adding glamping accommodations can provide opportunities for park owners to grow their businesses.
• A session on Engaging the Evolved Glamping Audience: Beyond the Tent in Communication Strategies was hosted by Mark Koep, president and CEO of CampgroundViews.com, and explored the delicate balance between providing potential guests with adequate information and overwhelming them. He’ll also spoke about the communication tools that support different stages, from pre-booking to post-stay interactions.

Throughout the day, the American Glamping Association (AGA) also hosted educational discussions outside on a special stage among the dozens of accommodation units that were displayed.

A Taco Tuesday Welcome Reception was hosted to close the evening and allow attendees to network with each other.

The AGA also held its 2024 awards ceremony near the end of the first day of the Glamping Show Americas to recognize suppliers and individuals who have made an impact in the glamping industry.

Award winners included: 

• Evergreen Excellence: The Business Finance Depot & The Towne Law Firm — This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the glamping industry.
• AGA Member of the Year: Open Sky — This award recognizes Open Sky’s exceptional dedication, leadership and innovation in elevating the glamping industry and the American Glamping Association.
• Manufacturer of the Year: FDomes — This award recognizes and highlights the FDomes team’s commitment to quality, innovation, and setting new standards in luxury outdoor experiences.
• Industry Pioneer: HoneyTrek — This is a testament to Mike Howard & Anne Collins Howard’s innovation, dedication and outstanding contributions.
• Operator of the Year: Firelight Camps — This award recognizes operators who have demonstrated exceptional growth and execution.
• Sarah Dusek Award: Irene Wood, owner of The Fields — This award recognizes the incredible contributions of women entrepreneurs in the glamping industry.

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Kampgrounds of America Inc. held a ceremony on Monday (Aug. 19) to dedicate its new headquarters in Billings, Mont. Over 100 people attended the ceremony, including local officials, representatives of the various architectural and construction firms that had helped design and construct the new building, KOA employees and more.

The 35,000-square-foot building earned LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its design as a green and sustainable building. LEED buildings take into consideration water and energy consumption, utilize lest waste, emit less carbon, contribute to greater employee health and more.

It was designed by the Billings architectural firm A&E Design in partnership with multiple local engineers.

“I’ve been anxiously awaiting this day because I wanted to celebrate the team that made this possible and that’s what the day’s about, celebrating our partners who are here,” noted Toby O’Rourke, CEO and president of KOA. “We have waited a long time to have a rightful home.

“KOA was founded 62 years ago with a very modest campground on a plot of land next to the Yellowstone River and we’re now the world’s largest network of privately owned campgrounds and the definitive leader in outdoor hospitality,” she added. “We felt that a company of that magnitude deserved its own home, not only as a home base for our 1,500 employees across the country but for our 500 franchisees, this is a big deal.”

O’Rourke highlighted that achieving LEED certification was no small task and she thanked a variety of people who took part in making the vision come to life.

Peter Templeton, the CEO and president of the U.S. Green Building Council, also spoke during the event and highlighted the tremendous work that went into securing the certification.

“This building shows how we can create inspiring, energizing spaces that maximize the connection to benefit the health of humans and our environment,” he said. “USGBC has worked for more than 30 years in communities across the country and around the world to make projects like this a reality.

“The project minimized construction waste and impacts, reduced water consumption, optimizes interiors for occupants and their well-being,” Templeton added. “The project’s, mechanical systems have been built to maximize energy efficiency and KOA has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by using clean energy and conducting life assessments of the products to use in construction. KOA and the project team have prioritized strategies and innovations that ensure a high-performing building that also creates a safe and productive environment for all its staff and visitors.”

A variety of KOA employees noted to Woodall’s Campground Magazine that the new facility allows for better networking and collaboration, with a variety of common areas, meeting rooms and open-air format.

The building itself blends in well with the surrounding landscape.

“I’ve felt that this building transformed our culture from the day we moved in,” noted O’Rourke to WCM after the ceremony was finished. “I saw people introducing themselves to each other who never interacted in the old building because we were on separate floors and didn’t have a lot of shared space. I see people just working so much more collaboratively here.

“I travel quite a bit for work, and when I’m gone, I miss the building,” she added. “It’s a place where you come every day and you just smile and see something new. I see wildflowers blooming, we see a lot of wildlife here. Just to see the way it has changed our culture, it’s just been great to be part of.”

O’Rourke told WCM that it was important to be LEED certified because KOA’s business is about being good stewards of the outdoors.

“We want to have a commitment to doing the best we can to preserve the lands and waters,” she highlighted. ” KOA has had a longstanding Kamp Green program. We educate our franchisees and campers on how to camp more sustainably or how to run their campground businesses more sustainably. Not only do we think it’s important for the environment, but it makes good business sense.”

Oscar Tang, KOA’s owner, was also in attendance and spoke briefly about the company’s growth and its commitment to Montana.

“The founders were entrepreneurs from Billings. It has always been headquartered here and it has grown tremendously, especially in the last 15 years,” he explained. “So, this is a way of making it clear that we are a Montana company. This building, I think, will perhaps further anchor that fact. Long after I’m gone, this company that grew out of this location from you all, from the efforts that you all have put in, will prosper on and on.”

Tang’s wife, Agnes Hsu-Tang, a world-renowned archaeologist, art historian and activist, curated a wide variety of art from the western region of the U.S. to give the building life.

Jason McGimpsey designed the building’s chandelier which is made from repurposed trees taken from the site.

To learn more about Kampgrounds of America and the company’s sustainability practices, visit koa.com.

The post KOA Dedicates New HQ, Celebrates LEED Gold Certification first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

Millions of new people started camping in 2020. That is one of the key takeaways of Billings, Mont.-based Kampgrounds of America Inc.’s (KOA) seventh annual North American Camping Report which was released today (April 21). Administered by Scott Bahr, of Cairn Consulting Group, the report is filled with statistics and key measurements on the state of […]

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The Campground Owners Expo (COE), an all-new trade show set for Dec. 15-18 at the Branson Convention Center Hotel in Branson, Mo., could well reinvent the wheel, so to speak, in the RV park and campground sector if current preliminary plans for the novel event come to pass. Although it was recently introduced as the Campground […]

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The record cold weather that has brought snow, single-digit temperatures, and power outages to many areas of Texas has also disrupted travel and sent park operators scrambling to repair frozen water lines. Teri Blaschke, who co-owns Hidden Valley RV Park in Von Ormy, near San Antonio, with her husband, Mark, said she’d never experienced anything […]

The post Texas Campgrounds Deal with Blast of Cold, Wintry Weather appeared first on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.

With more than 330 attendees, the virtual Canadian Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo kicked off on Monday (Jan. 18). Hosted by the Canadian Camping and RV Council (CCRVC), this is the first-ever national conference the association has hosted. Cara Braeutigam, membership coordinator for the association, told WOODALLSCM.com, a sister site to RVBusiness.com, that despite a […]

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