According to a report, the Board of Commissioners was eager for Dawson County to join the multi-billion-dollar glamping industry. They have voted in favor of adding glamping sites at a park near Lake Lanier during their November 18 session.
The BOC approved for the Parks and Recreation Department to put out a bid request for six glamping campsites at War Hill Park, located in the southeastern part of Dawson County at the edge of Lake Lanier.
Another company could offer luxury camping services to guests at War Hill Park.
Commissioner Chris Gaines commented that despite available options close to the lake or Amicalola Falls, the county isn’t offering a sufficient selection of campgrounds.
It meets a big need,” Gaines said of the glamping idea. “It gets people that maybe have no desire to come up and spend the night in the woods to come and spend the night in the woods.”
Timberlane Glamping Company, run by Nathan and Rebeka Self, reached out to county officials with the glamping idea in September. According to the rules, the county has to issue a bid request to ensure that multiple companies can bid for the project.
Parks and Recreation Director Matt Payne shared that the glamping market was estimated to be around $2.35 billion across the United States.
Nathan Self said the market is likely to grow more, with Kampgrounds of America’s research predicting glamping’s growth into a $25 billion business in 2025.
“This [camping style] isn’t going anywhere, and they (KOA) have pointed at the numbers at what new campers are preferring,” said Self, “and those are very accurate numbers.
Matt Payne said that the luxury tents will be divided into two main groups. They will be located near the bathhouse of the park.
The winning bid is responsible for constructing tents, maintaining them, and the equipment they require. The company will also announce the availability of tents and handle reservations on its own, separate from the county’s website.
Tax will also be collected. Maintenance of the campground (such as plumbing) will be taken care of by the County. Only electricity will be provided to the glamping areas.