LazyDays Tucson to become KOA

My last stop at a KOA was at their first place in Billings 10 years ago. They had msomany addons to the rate I asked if they were trying to sell me the CG. $60. a night in 2003 was out of line. We stayed elsewhere.

I've never been to a KOA, and could care less. But I know folks who will not stop any place other than a KOA. To each their own!

The 'amenities' are already in place for a KOA..pool, restaurant.. so the only thing KOA has to do is raise the price - and they will. This is a big snowbird and rally park now. I can't imagine it being a KOA. By the way, Camping World has moved from this location to a few blocks northward. We've never stayed at this park and now know we never will.

We usually avoid KOA ever since one in California. They advertised a daily rate, pool/spa/clubhouse/kiddie playground/wifi etc. When we arrived we expected what they advertised. They did have all that, however, the daily rate was for a parking space only...use of the pool, $1/day, spa, another buck, wifi, three bucks, etc....so, the Keep On Adding applies to some, maybe not all, KOAs. We also stayed at the KOA in Cloquet, Minn. this last summer. The inmates were running the asylum for sure...they had to drain the jacuzzi EVERY night because the kids were destroying it...throwing mud and other stuff at each other in the pool area. Management simply shrugged and said, "What can we do?"...depends a lot on management..IMHO.

As for the old Beaudry site in Tucson, I'm not sure how they will pull that one off...my guess is it will remain as it is and KOA will only take over the management of it and probably get lots of free press from LazyDays......Dennis

Over the last umpteen years WE have stayed at KOA....most of the time only satisfactory....till we went to KOA Ft Stockton tx......Now that was a different ballgame...belligerent owners...we left......went there a few yrs later...same o same o... and about 30 miles S down the road another 'parking lot' RV park....we stayed there...... friendly and unobtrusive...
KOA removed their name from the FT Stockton park cause so many complaints......we don't stop there anymore......

I'm not one to defend a chain/franchise since it is up to the consumer to purchase the services, but I feel I should at least come to the defense of an organization which supports the RV lifestyle and offers what I believe to be good service. KOA has put a great deal of pressure on the franchise operators to clean up their act and meet at lest the basic standards. That said, I find KOA consistent: consistently clean, friendly, and everything in working order. Some are exceptional, even resort quality: KOA Petaluma, San Diego, Williams Circle of Pines, Salt Lake City...could all be called destination locations. Yes, compared to some places a KOA is pricey, and compared to a free parking lot it is down right expensive. But when I reserve my space in the morning by phone I know a spot will be ready when I pull in, even if it is after the office closes. My map and info sheet will be posted on the board. Everything at the site will work. If I go on-line the price with all additional charges are listed. And it is a franchise, so for the most part, the manager is the owner, and the whole family works at the park. They have a vested interest in good service. Yes, there are some company locations. But lets all be fair, and lets not paint a chain from one experience, especially a historically past experience.
Sorry for being long winded, just needed to vent.
Happy Trails to All.

Is LazyDays going to keep their sales department at the Tucson location, or is leaving too?

moisheh....thanks for the post.

We're headed through Tucson in January and I think we'll stay at the new KOA for a night or two and check them out.

We typically look for a KOA, mostly because our experiences have found them to be friendlier, cleaner and at least they appear to have some min. level of standards, which isn't always the case in some private parks. To us, that alone is worth a few extra bucks. Then again, we do a majority of our RVing in New England where $50-$60/night is considered a good deal.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

I'm curious what sort of changes they'll make, if any. My wife and I were there this past summer. It's very close to the my old office, so I'm sure we'll be there again in the future. I have family in Tucson and tend to go at least once a year.

We've only stayed at a few KOAs in the past and didn't use their amenities, so the Keep On Adding thing is something that didn't effect us. So far, none of our experiences were negative at all. Well, the one site in Missouri was so far out of level that leveling would have raised the back tires off the ground.