A family-owned campground near Elizabethtown has been sold for $5.23 million to a real estate investor whose campgrounds include sites offering a “luxury” recreational vehicle experience.
A member of the family that owned the Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA for more than 30 years said that guests should expect the same family-oriented atmosphere under the new owners, Utah-based KCN Campgrounds Inc.
“It was hard to pass the torch, but we are very confident in KCN. We believe their plan for the future of the park is in line with where we wanted to head with it,” said Stephanie Vargas, who for the last eight years served as operations manager of the campground that her parents, Linda and Karl Schmidt, purchased in 1994.
The 50-acre campground at 1980 Turnpike Road in West Donegal Township changed hands in February, according to a deed filed in the county courthouse.
An independent franchise of the national chain Kampgrounds of America, the campground was sold by Linda Schmidt, who co-owned it with her husband until his death last July.
The couple had already decided to sell the business in order to spend more time with their grandchildren before Karl Schmidt’s unexpected death, Vargas said.
Vargas, who grew up at the campground from age 4 along with her brother and sister, said the sale will allow the family to spend more time together than they did while working long hours to operate the campground. She said it’s also bittersweet because of the many guests who they developed relationships with over the years.
“It was the right time and opportunity to step back and focus on family,” she said.
New amenities planned:
KCN, which owns a portfolio of eight other campgrounds including the Gettysburg/Battlefield KOA in Adams County, said in a news release that it plans to add new campsites, upgrade existing ones and add amenities.
Its tentative plans include more long-term campsites and pickleball courts. They also include premium sites featuring patios, private pet areas and covered seating areas. Sites with similar amenities at KCN’s other campgrounds offer a “luxury RV experience,” KCN’s Founder/CEO, Kevin Thueson, said in a recent YouTube interview.
The campground’s season runs from April through October. A map on the Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA website currently shows 126 RV campsites, 11 tent sites and 22 cabins. Online prices displayed this week varied based on the date, the season and accommodations, with RV sites between $67 and $145 per night; cabins between $109 and $259 per night; and tent sites between $58 and $78.
The campground’s existing amenities include two swimming pools, mini golf, a bike track, a fishing pond, volleyball and multiple playgrounds.
A statement shared by KCN spokesperson Rachel Williamson said that the company was drawn to the Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA because its location provides convenient access to Hersheypark and Lancaster County attractions, and it serves residents of large population centers like Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Williamson said the company could not answer additional questions about the sale because of a non-disclosure agreement.
“We’re excited to welcome campers to the Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA and continue to build on the great experience that the previous owners have created. We plan to invest time, effort and resources to enhance what makes this campground special,” the statement read.
