KCN Campgrounds is off to a great 2024 as it recently completed the acquisition of Gettysburg / Battlefield KOA Holiday in Pennsylvania.
In an exclusive interview with Modern Campground, KCN Campgrounds CEO Kevin Thueson delved into the acquisition, revealing the company’s plans for the site and insights into its growth trajectory in the outdoor hospitality sector.
The campground, Gettysburg / Battlefield KOA Holiday, holds a unique position in American history, located near the iconic battlefield where President Lincoln delivered his famed Gettysburg Address.
Key Criteria for Park Acquisition
According to Thueson, one of the criteria KCN Campgrounds considers when purchasing a park is its potential for improvement. The industry expert also emphasized the importance of a great location, room for enhancements, and the value the park adds in terms of acquisition.
“As we continue to grow our portfolio of campgrounds, we look for parks that fit certain criteria that meet the goals for KCN and our investors. And those include the ability for us to actively improve and upgrade the campground. We look for properties that have a value-add component; from upgrading power to improving WiFi to bringing sewer to new sites, even adding new patio sites with individual dog runs, everything is on the table to uplevel the experience for our guests. We also look for properties that have the capacity to expand the overall footprint of the campground,” Thueson told Modern Campground.
For Thueson and KCN Campgrounds, more than the ability to expand in terms of land, a good park should also have the potential to accommodate an increasing number of campers, and the location itself must be a draw.
Planned improvements
KCN has already identified a series of improvement projects that are set to begin immediately, ensuring that enhancements are made without impacting the current camping season. These improvements aim to offer a more comfortable and updated camping experience, aligning with the needs of today’s outdoor enthusiasts.
“We’re going to bring 50-amp power to the entire campground. There’s another section of sites at the campground, and they’re all water and electric but no sewer, so we’re going to add sewer to all of those sites as well,” he added. “These are all amenities that our guests expect, and we’re going to be providing.”
Community involvement
Understanding the importance of community ties, KCN Campgrounds plans to deepen its involvement in local activities.
According to Thueson, the campground’s previous owners have been involved within the community on many levels and they plan to continue that. This includes continuing the campground’s tradition of participating in local auctions and hosting community events as well as fostering a strong relationship between the campground and the local community.
“Many of our team who work at the campground are from the local community. They’re not work campers from different locations, these are local folks who have deep roots in Gettysburg. And so our intent is to extend and grow our involvement with the community through our team at the park as well,” Thueson said.
Long-term goals
When asked about their long-term plans, KCN Campgrounds’ objectives for the Gettysburg KOA are ambitious. According to Thueson, KCN aims to maintain the high standards of customer service and satisfaction that the campground is known for while also making strategic improvements.
“We want to establish it even more as a go-to location in Gettysburg for campers and visitors,” Thueson shared. This vision includes expanding the campground to provide more sites and accommodations, and also working with the local Chamber of Commerce to position the campground as a premier location for visitors coming to experience the rich history of the area.
KCN’s upward growth trajectory
Thueson also discussed the company’s growth, revealing plans to acquire additional properties in 2024 and work currently underway to secure a new partnership that would provide the capital necessary to accelerate portfolio expansion.
“We have a pipeline of other properties that we’re looking at and we hope to acquire multiple additional properties this year as we continue to grow the KCN portfolio. As we find properties like the Gettysburg | Battlefield KOA that meet our acquisition criteria, we are ready to dig in and work with the current owners to see if there’s a potential fit between their goals and ours. We’re extremely bullish on the camping industry and outdoor hospitality sector over the long term,” he said.
KCN Campgrounds’ acquisition strategies and continuous growth provide a model for other campground owners and outdoor hospitality players and operators. By focusing on value, community involvement, and strategic improvements, campground operators can enhance their appeal and operational efficiency.
KCN Campgrounds portfolio currently includes multiple KOA campgrounds, including Richfield, Goodland, Wisconsin Dells, Vernal / Dinosaurland, Sweetwater and Sheridan / Big Horn Mountains.
For more information on Gettysburg KOA, visit koa.com/campgrounds/gettysburg.
To learn more about KCN Campgrounds, visit kcncampgrounds.com.
Featured image by Gettysburg / Battlefield KOA Holiday via kcncampgrounds.com