In light of the DCMS board being "gone," I had heard this one offered certain levels informative insight into the various clubs, offerings, what was happening with each, legal issues, redemptions, etc. That hasn't exactly proved to be the case, although those inside of AK have offered what I feel to be good information and opinions. Apparently no one from ER has anything to say, or cares, and few if any from UR/UE have much to say other than hurry and travel while it lasts, which I agree with. I didn't really participate in the prior board, rather read numerous postings when time permitted.
I don't have to waste my time, nor anyone else's here by posting. And am not strongly compelled to do so if every time I post someone wants to start an argument, or a off-the-wall challenge. That's fine if that's what gets the juices flowing for certain individuals, but if I want to add banter to each of my days I can just say something sh*tty to my wife in the morning and start it that way.
I believe, as I have said, that the club business is stagnant, at best. The lack of sales from every club strongly support this. I further have said that no sensible person that cares about their cash flow would join a DC at this time based on the unproven economics and the refund models that exist (i.e., 3-1, etc.) I didn't say that I have the answers, nor do I. I don't believe "everyone in the world" is an idiot, but I do believe there are plenty of them (I must be to some degree, I spent a small fortune of hard earned money to travel this way). I do think AK has larger issues than some think, although members today are obviously traveling and apparently significantly happy. My point to that is that I don't just think by saying "equity model" it solves all the DC problems. You still need a good number of members paying equitable dues to maintain a club and add new, desirable inventory. I don't think UE can forever pull rabbits out of a hat, nor do I think ER will crash and burn, but rather maybe look for a graceful exit - and as I have said, their cookie cutter inventory, to me, makes rational and profitable property liquidations look difficult, which in turn doesn't help their ever-increasing redemption list.
I am all for a "member driven" regulatory group, if it has any merit. But I doubt in private enterprises where compliance isn't required and financials are loosely transparent, at best, that it would have any meaning. Remembering that certain top executives of all the clubs we discuss here have been officers and / or a part of the prior DCA didn't make it any better or their financials any stronger.
In the end, I think some of the sales tactics that are being used today, even by my own club, are manipulative and deceitful. Everyone bantered that TH should not have sold from a certain point forward, whenever it was they realized the ship was sinking and couldn't be saved, thus no likelihood of deposit refunds, full (as promised) or partial. I think there is more than one club in the space today who has a similar problem, and in effect - uncertain of their futures and likely unable to meet their liabilities and obligations, are basically stealing from any new members that join.
That being said, I am open to ongoing, useful conversation about what can be done, if anything, to shore up this industry. I'm not convinced it can be. I'm certainly not convinced that anyone would join a 100% loss of deposit model, but it doesn't mean no one would - just that I wouldn't pay to do it.
I've always thought that those with "skin in the game" have more insight, and certainly more to lose. Many of us have "lost" it all, to some degree. That doesn't mean that outsiders (non-members, for lack of a better word) can't provide useful and helpful insight. But if it's just of the agitative nature, I don't understand the purpose. Anyone can cut and paste old financial data from club documents. What I have found, being a member for a long time, is that most of it was BS to start with, full of numerous omissions and misrepresentations, overstatements, etc. Therefore, I don't understand their relevance today and how it affects pretty much anything going forward, other than proving that people lie, continually.
So banter on, challenge, do whatever makes yourself happy. I am happy to respond or communicate via this manner on useful, thought provoking topics, but not rants.
Just my two-cents for the day...