A new RV resort is planned for Manatee County, Florida, with South Swell Properties LLC preparing to begin construction of Waypoint RV Preserve in Palmetto.
The project will be marked by a ceremonial groundbreaking on Sept. 8 at 11010 U.S. 41 N. The development is planned to include 170 RV sites and a range of resort-style amenities, with the first guests expected to arrive in December 2027.
South Swell Properties owns and is developing the property. Daniel Harte, principal of South Swell Properties, said the project was intended to offer more than a conventional RV park.
“We didn’t want to simply create another RV park,” Daniel Harte, principal of South Swell Properties, says in a statement. “Our vision has always been to create a unique RV experience.”
Among the planned amenities is a more than 3,700-square-foot swimming pool featuring zero-entry access, lap lanes and a sun shelf. An 85-square-foot spa is also planned as part of the resort.
The property already includes Waypoint Bar & Grill, located at 11000 U.S. 41 at the front of the site. The restaurant, which opened in 2021, is expected to continue serving the local community while also providing an option for guests staying at the RV resort.
A significant portion of the development’s design centers on a 25-acre nature preserve. According to the company, the green space will remain protected, with areas intended to give guests opportunities to spend time in a natural setting.
For RV resort operators, the project illustrates one approach to incorporating preserved land and outdoor experiences into a larger destination-style property rather than relying solely on traditional amenity infrastructure.
The property’s history also factors into the development. South Swell Properties purchased the site off U.S. 41 in 2004 for $650,000, according to Manatee County property records. Harte, who lives in nearby Terra Ceia, also owns the restaurant property.
“We have owned this property for … decades, so our connection to this land is personal,” Harte, who lives in nearby Terra Ceia, says in the statement.
The company said the project has gone through an extensive planning, entitlement and permitting process ahead of construction. With the groundbreaking scheduled for Sept. 8, the next phase will involve development of the planned RV sites, amenities and surrounding property.
If the current timeline remains in place, Waypoint RV Preserve will open in December 2027, according to BusinessObserver.
For RV industry and outdoor hospitality operators, the project highlights the continued development of RV properties that combine site accommodations with food and beverage, recreational amenities and access to preserved outdoor space. Its planned 170-site scale also positions the property between a traditional campground and a larger destination-oriented RV resort, with the existing restaurant providing an additional component of the guest offering.
