# Escapes Resorts/Cooper



## Texasbelle (Feb 2, 2013)

I have not been on TUG lately so the changes were news to me.  Looks like Cooper is selling out.  I always felt all timeshare employees should work for Cooper/Escapes first to see how to serve owners.  That's not going to happen.  We own at Galveston on the Gulf, but if they rearrange the large units that will not affect us as we own a 2 bedroom select and a 1 bedroom elite, not the lock-off units.  However if I owned a lock-off, I would have mixed feelings as they were sold to be divided if one wanted to use them separately.  And what about the points?  Guess we will see.  Costs look to be higher with HIVC.  Don't know anything about Festiva.  Another thought, maybe they are just changing the units which were unsold.  Cooper owned a lot of the prime location units, overlooking the pool and Gulf.


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## bogey21 (Feb 2, 2013)

Cooper was a class act and made me a lot of money.  I used to own two condos in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. When I wasn't using them for myself or friends Cooper rented them from me to put up prospective purchasers three days at a time.  This went on for two or three years after which I sold both condos at a nice profit. 

Geoge


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## NPKW (Mar 1, 2013)

*Escapes to Bella Vista now taken over by Festiva*

Festiva reps are meeting with Escapes owners to make an "offer" and ask unit owners  for thousands of dollars. I had this "wonderful" opportunity to accept their offer but flatly declined.  I believe this is a shame for those of us who have been happy to trade through RCI and II.  It is suspected that we may no longer be able to do so after 2015.  After much downgrading of HOA and "deeded" property in the presentation, they want your deed and "offer" unit owners to pay  Festiva thousands for a 40 year membership in Festiva's services.  You supposedly never have maintenance fees again because they will rent the unit you "signed" over to them which covers your membership fees in some kind of wonderful "Travel Club."  This is not why we purchased a deeded timeshare.  

Not wanting to be a member in this 40 year thing, what should an owner do with the timeshare that RCI and II may no longer be an affiliate?  The fact is, when Festiva  reps convince enough owners to "pay up" Festiva will ultimately own the majority of units and control by majority votes to change the resorts into what they desire. At this time I suspect what they bought from Cooper, are the blue and white weeks that were never sold for which no one trades into.  Sooo, they want our "red" time prime weeks for "0" money and YOU to pay Festiva big dollars to "give it to them."

I was asked to pay almost $7,000 to "give" them my unit or as they said "get out of my deed."  I do not wish to belong to a travel club.  I already paid for my timeshare unit and also the recent assessment fee  for remodeling our resort, thinking to keep it.  Something about this seems to be very wrong.  

Any comments or advise?  Maybe I will give you my timeshare unit which is prime summer Gold Crown 2BR 2Bath. 








Texasbelle said:


> I have not been on TUG lately so the changes were news to me.  Looks like Cooper is selling out.  I always felt all timeshare employees should work for Cooper/Escapes first to see how to serve owners.  That's not going to happen.  We own at Galveston on the Gulf, but if they rearrange the large units that will not affect us as we own a 2 bedroom select and a 1 bedroom elite, not the lock-off units.  However if I owned a lock-off, I would have mixed feelings as they were sold to be divided if one wanted to use them separately.  And what about the points?  Guess we will see.  Costs look to be higher with HIVC.  Don't know anything about Festiva.  Another thought, maybe they are just changing the units which were unsold.  Cooper owned a lot of the prime location units, overlooking the pool and Gulf.


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## tschwa2 (Mar 2, 2013)

The reps lied to you about many things.  
Here is a quote from the Pepertree (another timeshare company aquired by Festiva) website about Outfield Marketing.  If they came to your house and threatened that if you did not convert to Festiva you would not be able to exchange through RCI or II, try calling the number below.  Tell them you don't appreciate it and will continue to post about the experience on as many websites as possible. 

Outfield has a terrible reputation for lying, threatening and bullying but they most be successful in getting people to convert because Festiva and also Diamond continue to hire them.



> Outfield Marketing
> 
> Outfield Marketing is a third party company hired by Festiva to present and sell the Festiva Adventure Club to various fixed week owners along with members of the PVTC. Outfield Marketing predominantly sold the Festiva Adventure Club by setting up appointments to come to members’ homes. On May 6, 2009, Festiva made a decision to restrict Outfield Marketing from contacting PVTC members from that date on.
> 
> You should no longer receive calls from Outfield Marketing sales personnel who wish to come to your home to discuss the Festiva Adventure Club. If you receive such a call please take the person’s full name and contact the Festiva Owner Services department at 866-933-7848. Festiva sales or marketing personnel may contact you and ask you to visit a resort for a sales presentation or may contact you while you are at the resort; however, you will not be asked to allow someone to come to your home.






> The fact is, when Festiva reps convince enough owners to "pay up" Festiva will ultimately own the majority of units and control by majority votes to change the resorts into what they desire. At this time I suspect what they bought from Cooper, are the blue and white weeks that were never sold for which no one trades into.



The scary thing is, Festiva probably already have control of the resort.  They vote their blue weeks as blocks and it is difficult to get members to vote at all  and if as managers if they send a newsletter suggesting a certain outcome would be beneficial to the owners without presenting the other side they will convince some owners to give them their proxies.  

Don't convert.  Your MF may rise.  You may want to try to sell or give away your TS if you don't want to deal with the changes.  I wouldn't worry about not being able to exchange and since you have a deeded week, you will at least still be secure that you can get your unit each year.


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## bogey21 (Mar 2, 2013)

tschwa2 said:


> Here is a quote from the Peppertree (another timeshare company aquired by Festiva) website about Outfield Marketing.



Note:  I used to own a Week at Peppertree by the Sea which is a nice Resort very well run by its HOA.  I don't know the details but somehow they managed to escape the clutches of Festiva when many of the other Peppertree Resorts were gobbled up.

George


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## NPKW (Mar 4, 2013)

Maintenance fees are up 2013 $65. Knowing I am secure that "I can get my unit week each year" will not help me since I never stay there, nor do I care to.  I only trade. It is GC Prime red summer week, good for trading with RCI/II.  What has happened to old fashioned legitimate time sharing? 

[QUOTE posted by TSCHWA2  Don't convert. Your MF may rise. You may want to try to sell or give away your TS if you don't want to deal with the changes. I wouldn't worry about not being able to exchange and since you have a deeded week, you will at least still be secure that you can get your unit each year.


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