Well, This is a Fine Kettle of Fish - Festiva takes over Escape! Resorts

[Hobbitess Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hobbitess]

I guess it's good that they finally broke down and told people the absolute bare minimum possible about what's going on. And so nicely, too!

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Yeah.

Hey, would whoever changed Festiva to Festival in the header mind changing it back?

Thanks.

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Stonebridge Village Condominiums


Stonebridge Village Condominiums
1 Oak Lane, Reeds Spring, MO. 65737

II: ESB EB1
Check-In Days
Friday

Nearest Airport SGF 45 Miles
Springfield-Branson Missouri

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Stonebridge Village Condominiums
1 Oak Lane, Reeds Spring, MO. 65737

II: ESB EB1
Check-In Days
Friday

Nearest Airport SGF 45 Miles
Springfield-Branson Missouri

Where's that from?

& thanks whoever

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Maybe you can hear me laughing that little, frustrated laugh accompanied by an eyeroll.

Why?

Well it was 16 months ago now that I discovered our resort was no longer affiliated with Escapes! when I tried to pay our maintenance fees at the website I always had, and it no longer existed. I then discovered that Escapes! no longer existed. I then discovered that our resort had sued Escapes!/Coopershares. All of that on my own, with no notice or information of any sort from our resort.

It was at that time that I started my quest to get someone from our resort to give us any information about what was going on, those request finally getting the hateful, unprofessional phone call in February (Post 51), 14 months after I started. As I posted then, the lady told me if I wanted to know what's going on, I could come to the annual meeting, while in the same breath she said only 14 out of 6000 owners were at the last one. She said they don't have the money to have a website, do a mailing, or even have an email address for owners to use.

So, I'm laughing because in yesterday's mail we received two postcards (we own in two different names), reading:

IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM
STONEBRIDGE VILLAGE COA

ATTENTION STONEBRIDGE VILLAGE

FIXED AND FLOAT OWNERS

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

YOUR NEW OWNER SERVICES AND RESERVATIONS LINE IS

800-81-XXXXX

Please NOTE!!!!!

Escapes Travel Choice Members will still call 888-382-XXXX
For all Points related Reservations and Account Information
- - - - - - -

Wow! That's exactly what the postcard looks like.

You think maybe someone else was bugging them, since I gave up in Febraury?

I assume they will be sending me an invoice for the cost of the mailing, or our maintenance fee will be a hundred bucks more next year.

We received two of the same postcards again yesterday!!!???

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Jut got another email from Festiva:

Upcoming Holiday Closings
Greetings Escapes owners and members;

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Jut got another email from Festiva:

Upcoming Holiday Closings
Greetings Escapes owners and members;

Funny, ironic, after I posted that yesterday morning, I went to the post office and there were two more-formal, in-envelope, letter-headed letters from the COA, even more firmly trying to clear the air, explain that there is no affiliation with Festiva, but still with no email address so I could forward them the stuff Festiva is still sending.

When I have time, I will post that letter, for owners who may happen to stroll by here.

So, because we have weeks in two names, we now have received 6 mailings trying to clear the air.

But only after a lady on the board felt fit to call me, be disrespectful, chew my ass out, tell me if I wanted to know what's going on I could come to the annual meeting, and ask me if I wanted to pay for mailings or other forms of communication.

The letter promised big changes, new things. Wow!, like maybe an email address?

An idea . . . the COA is within the confines of a POA. There are at least two other COAs in the development. The POA has an office with fulltime, paid staff, a website, email, and a monthly enewsletter. Why could the COAs not have a presence on that website, and have emailed channeled through the POAs, not that the cost of having their own email would be prohibitive.

Like at work, I hate management by crisis, those in charge thinking it may be cheaper and less work just to ignore things that need doing, then deal with the problems that creates.

These fish are getting a little smelly.

[ace2000 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ace2000]

By accident.

It's a week we have for sale, meaning one of the six weeks we own. This one actually has value because it comes with "year-round golf" in a private gated community with one of the top-rate golf courses in the state. About 1/3 of the golf membership owns a week for golf.

JLB - what is the "year-round golf" benefit that you're referring to here? You still have to pay, right? I understand you do some part-time work and get some privileges through that.

And are you saying you can't even give your timeshare week away? What about throwing in the first year of use for free - have you tried that?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

JLB - what is the "year-round golf" benefit that you're referring to here? You still have to pay, right? I understand you do some part-time work and get some privileges through that.

And are you saying you can't even give your timeshare week away? What about throwing in the first year of use for free - have you tried that?

All been tried. I offered the 2014 weeks free, with fees pre-paid.

It is at the most exclusive gated community in the area, with the longest-established championship golf course.

To get the development kicked off in the beginning, before the golf course was even finished, 1992-93, it was decided that the first 15 units of "Coopershares" would come with golf privilege year-round, not just during the owned week like the later units. Those familiar with here, know I'm talking about the 600 # units, the Golf Villas, as opposed to the 700# units.

"Golf privilege" means you can buy an unlimited annual golf membership or pay the members' rate per round for up to two foursomes. You also get members' discounts at the Pro Shop, discounted fees to play in events, and are included in the many social activities, if you want. There's also tennis courts, 4 pools, hiking trails, fishing lake, pavilion, volley ball, kiddie parks, etc.

Members' rate is $49 per round v. $99 for the public. The annual membership is a better deal at about 50 rounds per year, per couple, and most members play about 5 rounds a week.

Some of the guys who were here when it all started, and had to take over when Cooper dumped it on them, are still here. I know them and they know me. So, that makes being testy to the association problematic. About 1/3 of the guys I golfed with on men's day own a week in the Golf Villas to be a member of the club.

Technically I still am, even though I golf with the members at another course, which is rated #1 in the state, where I have worked since it opened. I run a game there for the members once a week, but have unlimited golf for myself and guests.

I mentioned that I have only played one round in the last two years there to a guy playing where I work and he said. "Not a very effective use of your fees." That about sums it up.

It is not unlike the Florida beach resorts where locals own to use it as a beach club year-round.

But, what you are saying is why we are so frustrated, because you'd think if any place would have some value, it would be here. Is it, after all, not just a timeshare, but a ticket to the country club.

For the last two years I have almost always been in discussions with someone who is interested, but nothing has ever come of it. I am now. I showed it to a lady last month who is considering using our summer week on an ongoing basis, but not take ownership.

Ironically, what we are paying in fees for unused, unwanted timeshares is almost exactly what it takes to run our Florida house. So, people make changes there is no way they can anticipate, and the money they are dumping into unwanted timeshare could be better used for those changes.

As for our other resort, a $350 annual fee for a Spring Break ski week near Winter Park or a peak summer week near the western entrance to RMNP would seem to be a no-brainer, too. Or, to get 18 or 20 TPUs.

Let me post a link to the ads for our two resorts, and maybe you can see something that is running folks off:

https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4453943592

https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4488688651

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

JLB, there is your answer, start wining and dining the 2/3 of the golfers that don't own the timeshare, and persuade them to take yours for free so they too can be members.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

The 2/3 that don't own a Villas Week own a house, condo, or lot. Only members of the POA can be a golf member.

In the case of my buddy from a certain other forum, he/they own a building lot and 3 weeks in The Villas . . . plus a house/boat/slip on the lake and a house in Florida, just bought this past Winter.

Their plans are to unload all the northern baggage and stay in Florida.

There are an abundance of Villas weeks and lots that people are trying to unload.

Lots of lots. Those owning inside the gates pay more in POA fees than Villas TS owners, $120/month v. $120/year.

Wherever/whatever you own, POA fees and full golf membership costs about $4000/year.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

He has been whining for a couple of years now and I think he really doesn't want to get rid of them and lose the kiddie parks privileges.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

He has been whining for a couple of years now and I think he really doesn't want to get rid of them and lose the kiddie parks privileges.

Well, they are nice kiddie parks. There's even a kiddie splash pool.

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...b0/66/pool.jpg

http://www.sbvpoa.org/the_pavilion.php

It really is the nicest community in the Branson area.

[ace2000 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ace2000]

Let me post a link to the ads for our two resorts, and maybe you can see something that is running folks off:

https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4453943592

https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4488688651

Your links aren't working.

I was curious since I own one of those weeks also (actually will be down there next weekend). I was also considering giving mine away too. I'm not sure I'd want the golf privileges if I didn't actually live in the village though. I might be trying to give mine away next fall with a free year included. We'll see.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

http://springfield.craigslist.org/reo/4453943592.html

http://denver.craigslist.org/reo/4488688651.html

The other ones are from inside my cl account.