The 5th Annual Campground Owners Expo (COE) continues its schedule today, Thursday, December 4, at the Hilton Branson Convention Center (Missouri).
Owned by Severson & Associates, the event is designed to provide critical networking opportunities and meeting space to help state associations build robust organizations.
According to its website, today’s agenda kicks off at 7:30 a.m. with a dedicated meeting for the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO), which is open to both current and prospective members.
Following the state meeting, attendees will move into the “Fireside Fix-It Sessions,” scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
These educational tracks cover critical operational pillars, including a session on hiring and firing led by Christine Taylor, which will address legal compliance and performance management.
Attorney Anders Helquist is also set to facilitate a separate legal discussion covering liability waivers, ADA compliance, and seasonal contracts.
For operators focused on physical assets, Brian Pedersen and Ben Stefan will lead a session on maintenance, groundskeeping, and project management.
Prospective and new owners have a dedicated track hosted by Kaylee Pace and Mychele Bisson regarding the unexpected challenges of ownership.
“Big-Picture Operations” will be addressed by John Jaszewski, Phil Whitehead, and Joe Ledger, covering succession planning and banking insights.
Concurrently, Tyler Duffy will lead a session on revenue boosters and cost controls, focusing on ROI tracking and smart pricing.
As an alternative to the educational sessions, the expo is hosting an Influencer Speed Networking Event at 8:30 a.m. to facilitate marketing partnerships.
“As an alternative to the cracker barrel sessions, if you’re looking for a fresh way to market your park? Meet face-to-face with industry influencers in a fast-paced “speed dating” format. Rotate tables, share ideas, and discover partners who can help promote your park,” the conference’s details indicate.
In the afternoon, the schedule shifts to “The Networking Circuit” at 2:15 p.m., where participants will rotate through five 20-minute rounds of cracker barrel sessions.
The day’s programming will conclude with a 4:30 p.m. meeting for the Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds (MARVC), open to all Michigan operators.