As our public lands and campgrounds become increasingly privatized we can
expect to find many more commercial marketing tie-ins such as the one described
below. To appreciate what's going on here, it's important to note that Fleetwood and ReserveAmerica are both members of the American Recreation
Coalition, the President of which told Motorhome Magazine (May 1998) "We believe
the Forest Service largely will be out of the developed-site camping business
within the next 10 years. "
The privatization agenda is proceeding on
schedule both Federal and State levels. When commercial interests have taken
over camping, the experiences available will be very different than those
previously known. An entirely different clientele will be served and served by
entirely different interests -- interests seeking to maximize profits -- interests that will generally be affiliated with the American Recreation Coalition.
Those who liked camping for what it once was, may be extremely disappointed
with what it becomes.
Scott
--- begin quoted ---
http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/092006/09022006/218118
Popups offered at park
September 2, 2006
By RUSTY DENNEN
It's the latest thing to pop up in Virginia state parks' efforts to get
more people to try camping--just in time for fall weekends.
Popup campers are available for rent at Lake Anna, Belle Isle, Chippokes Plantation, Hungry Mother and Pocahontas state parks.
The state is renting the campers as part of a joint venture with
ReserveAmerica, which handles the parks' reservations, and Fleetwood,
the RV maker.
"Folks like to camp, but they don't want to get into buying all the
equipment when they camp only once or twice a year," said Gary Waugh,
spokesman for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in
Richmond. "So we're trying to give them some different options."
This is the first time the state has had such an arrangement with an RV
company, though Waugh says a few years back the state offered set-up
tents for rent.
Though the popups are hardly comparable to the luxury RV behemoths that
prowl the nation's campgrounds, the Fleetwood trailers are not exactly
shacks either. They definitely make rainy weekends in the parks more
fun.
The five popups at Lake Anna State Park open up into two bedrooms and a
dining area with air conditioning, heat, refrigerator, stove, outboard
grill, and lots of storage. People just have to bring sleeping bags or
bedding, food and other necessities, such as supplies for s'mores.
ReserveAmerica this week sent e-mails to those who use its reservation
system that the popups are ready and waiting at the selected parks.
Each park has five units.
The cost is the nightly camping fee, plus water and electric--at Lake
Anna that's $27--plus $50 a night for the trailer. The park and Reserve
America divide the $50 fee. ReserveAmerica has a separate contract with
Fleetwood, which also gets a cut.
The state has a five-year contract in which Fleetwood replaces the park popups with new models each year.
Fleetwood Enterprises, based in Riverside, Calif., is one of the
nation's largest producers of recreational vehicles and manufactured
homes. It had sales of $2.5 billion in 2005.
Popup trailers are a growing part of the RV market because they are
small, easy to tow and easy to set up. They are not the Spartan
accommodations of yesteryear. High-end models can sell for more than
$15,000.
Lake Anna State Park, established in 1983 on the southern end of
Spotsylvania, opened its first campground over Memorial Day. There are
46 sites, including the popups. Half have water and electric, the rest
have no hookups.
Dave Floyd, assistant manager of the park, said camping is popular, especially on weekends, and that the popups are catching on.
"This past weekend is the best indicator--we were sold out on water and
electric sites on Saturday," he said. The park opened 10 cabins last
year, and is planning to add six small, rustic "camping cabins" next
year.
Camping is available in state parks from March 1 through the first Monday in December. Cabins are available year-round.
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- Privatization 
