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Aug. 1, 2011
With today’s motor coaches and fifth wheels becoming more spacious and luxurious, their owners are demanding RV parks keep pace by matching the experiences you would get at the finest hotels and resorts. And that’s what Cal-Am Properties is committed to provide at its nine luxurious Arizona RV Resorts.
The resorts, centrally located in the lush Valley of the Sun, offer five-star amenities, a friendly and experienced staff, and an endless choice of organized events and activities.
Cal-Am Properties owns and operates more than 50 RV resorts and manufactured housing communities throughout the country. To meet the needs and desires of RVers in today’s 55-plus generation, the company is developing innovative concepts and stepping up services. Company officials say the old “ma and pa RV parks” of the past don’t fit the lifestyle of these modern RVers.
 “If RV resorts are to not only survive but thrive in the coming decade, we must offer these newly retiring customers an increased level of services and features,” said Cal-Am Properties CEO Cory Sukert. “This generation has come to expect more and that’s what we give them.”
Cal-Am’s Arizona RV Resorts have indoor and outdoor heated pools and whirlpool spas, lighted championship tennis centers, state-of-the-art fitness centers, bocce ball courts and computer centers with high-speed Internet and e-mail service, along with many other amenities.
Each season, the Cal-Am Concert Series brings an array of big-name entertainers to perform at the resorts. Headliners this winter will include Marie Osmond, Lynda Carter, Rich Little and Charo. Others scheduled to appear include singing sisters Christina & Ali, Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show, comedians Williams and Ree billed as “The Indian and the White Guy,” and a Red Skelton tribute by Tom Mullica.
The resorts have more than 10,000 full-service RV sites, all with easy and convenient hookups.
To encourage RVers to get an early start on their winter vacations, the resorts are offering special rates for stays of up to three months or more from September 19 of this year to January 2 of 2012. Guests may stay all or part of that time for one price—as little as $695. The $695 rate applies to the Good Life, Mesa Regal, Towerpoint and Val Vista Village resorts. You can stay at the Canyon Vistas and Sun Life resorts for $795, Valle del Oro for $895 and Sunflower for $995. Those who take advantage of the offers will be invited to the resorts’ parties celebrating Oktoberfest, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
For more information on the resorts, visit cal-am.com/resorts. The toll-free reservation number is (888) 940-8989.
Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer Walk in Canyon Vistas RV Resort
March 7, 2011
Shelley Center, American Cancer Society accepted check donations in the amount of $14,898.80 from residents of Canyon Vistas RV Resort, Gold Canyon on Monday, March 7. The presentation was the result of fund raising for the January 29, 2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Presenting the monies was Coleen Ehresmann, coordinator of the event.
Shelley Center, Community Relationship Manager of the Great Western Division of the American Cancer Society, Inc. in Phoenix, thanked the Monday morning gathering of resort residents for their outstanding efforts and donations. She reported progress has made in the fight against breast cancer as each year incidents of the disease are lessening.
Funds for the cancer donation came from several functions throughout the January event. Resort residents donated products from their home states for an auction and raffle of state baskets. Raffle tickets were sold for the many gift certificates and services donated by area businesses. Handcrafted items were sold at sealed and silent auctions. Those walking in the five-mile Making Strides Against Breast Cancer collected pledges for the American Cancer Society. Two hundred people, including resort residents and people from the Gold Canyon community participated in the walk this year.
This was the third year for the cancer walk at Canyon Vistas RV Resort. Since January 2009 over $38,000 has been donated to the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program by the residents, their families and friends.
Cal-Am Offers Largest Resort Network In Arizona
RVBusiness.com and woodallscm.com
Although the RV industry in general may not be aware of it, Cal-Am Resorts boasts the largest network of RV parks in the state of Arizona with seven high-end resorts.
“We consider ourselves 5-star and provide every amenity,” said Marc Franklin, Cal-Am chief operating officer. “We offer every type of club and sport, as well as personal health services like massage, hair, nails and spa. Every year we put in major projects to keep up with personal tastes.”
Among Cal-Am parks are:
* Sunflower in Surprise.
* Canyon Vistas in Gold Canyon.
* Val Vista Village, Mesa Regal, Sunlife, Apache Wells and Valle del Oro, all in Mesa.
Mesa Regal, with 2,005 sites, is the largest
RV park in the state.
This year Cal-Am is in the process of adding eight pickle ball courts, six bocce ball courts, and a tennis court, as well as re-surfacing eight of its existing tennis courts with a new synthetic professional material. Two new spas, one at Val Vista Village and one at Valle del Oro, are also in the works. “We are finding more and more residents are wanting hair, nails, and massage and they want it on site,” Franklin said.
“We have our own catering and restaurants and we have top entertainment – we like to call it ‘Branson without leaving your rig,’” he added.
In addition to regular entertainment, Cal-Am offers a concert series. This season’s lineup includes Vicki Lawrence; BJ Thomas and Gary Puckett; Legends of Surf Music featuring the Beach Boys and Dean of Jan and Dean; the Oakridge Boys; and Shania Twin.
“We’ve also used our size to really be able to wow our guests with how we decorate our ballrooms when we have parties,” Franklin said. “Because of our size we can have five times the decorations. We rotate themes at the resorts so it doesn’t get stale over the years. Our residents can have an exciting party atmosphere when they come to the event. We view that as a fun, competitive advantage.”
The Arizona season is typically strong from Thanksgiving to Easter, but with colder weather often arriving sooner, Cal-Am has created a fall season. From Oct. 1-Jan. 5 residents can take advantage of a bargain price of $795 for the entire period. “We throw in five parties at the properties during that time period – Oktoberfest, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s,” Franklin said. “I don’t think there is a price out there that can touch it.”
Cal-Am adds pull-through sites each year at its parks – 100-foot pull-throughs have been added this year at Val Vista Village. “The demand was there, the minute we cut the ribbon they were full,” Franklin said.
Keeping up with technology is something Franklin believes all RV parks find challenging. “Everyone seems to be grappling with Wi-Fi,” he said. “There is a strong demand for computer resources. We are working to create Wi-Fi hotspots around common areas, pools, and public buildings, and we have ever-growing computer clubs. We have rooms at our resorts with 40 computers. Satisfying the technology desires of our clients is a challenge.”
With more than 700 employees, Cal-Am continues to grow and is always looking to expand. “Our market is the retired or soon-to-be-retired active adults, generally 55-plus in age, who are either RVers now, and might be purchasers of a resort home in the future,” he added. “We reach our market through print ads, radio, trade show booths, and most important—word of mouth from our satisfied customers.”
Cal-Am does not offer cabins or tents, but does have a number of park models in its RV resorts, as well as its own internal sales division. Cal-Am’s membership discount programs are Good Sam, Passport America, Camp Club USA, Happy Campers, and Coast to Coast/Good Neighbor
“We are growing and we are keeping fresh and we are attracting the modern RVer and keeping our existing RV clients happy at the same time,” Franklin added.
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