The Outdoor Hospitality Industry’s 2026 Prospective Owners Workshop (POW!) will provide aspiring campground, RV park and glamping resort owners with a half-day orientation covering the key considerations involved in buying or building an outdoor hospitality business.
The workshop is scheduled for Nov. 8 from 2–6 p.m. at the Fort Worth Convention Center, ahead of the 2026 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE2026). The session is intended for prospective owners who are considering entering the industry or are actively planning an acquisition or development.
POW! will cover due diligence, site planning, budgeting, financing, infrastructure and operational considerations. Participants will also take part in interactive group sessions focused on two ownership paths: building a business or buying an existing property.
The workshop’s faculty brings more than 150 combined years of outdoor hospitality experience, according to the announcement. Instructors include developers, consultants, franchise owners, brokers and financing professionals with experience related to campground and RV resort development, operations, sales and acquisitions.
Several instructors currently serve on industry association boards, while all remain active in the outdoor hospitality industry, according to the organization.
Greg Emmert, 2026 POW! instructor and founder and principal consultant of Vireo | Outdoor Hospitality Strategy, said his own experience entering campground ownership influenced his participation in the workshop.
“I love being part of the Prospective Owners Workshop because I remember what it felt like to be on the other side of the table, trying to figure out what I didn’t know before buying a campground,” Emmert said. “Ownership can be incredibly rewarding, but it also has a way of making bad assumptions very expensive.”
Emmert said the workshop is intended to help prospective owners evaluate opportunities and identify questions before making ownership decisions.
“My goal is to help prospective owners ask better questions, look at opportunities with clearer eyes, and hopefully learn a few lessons in the workshop instead of learning them later from a contractor, a septic system, or their banker,” he said.
In addition to the educational sessions, POW! is designed to provide prospective owners with an opportunity to ask questions and establish connections with peers and mentors before the broader conference begins.
The workshop is available as a $229 add-on to OHCE2026 registration. Space is limited, according to the announcement.
Featured image by OHI
