Developer vs Timeshare Manager
I think a lot of people on here are failing to see the business side of things.
How did Fairmont Resort Properties prosper to where they were? It was the vision to become big, and bigger and biggest. The money and margins are not in managing a complex, the money and margins are in growth and sales of timeshares. Or coming up with schemes for the existing owners to squeeze more money out of them.
They sold timeshares to people promising them a holiday opportunity at a fraction of a cost of ownership. The profits and margins were great as long as they could continue selling to these people. Hmmm how can we squeeze a few extra dollars out of these people? How about sign them up to something called a Platinum Club, and let them think they are getting preferential treatment and can book resorts or houseboats within the Fairmont chain without having to use II.
How does Fairmont Resort Properties continue to make money as the timeshares fill in? How about something called a management fee, sure that is it, a management fee of 15% of all the Maintenance fees collected, skim this off the top, great idea!
Next, as the property is filling in, the potential buyers are drying up, the realization that the Riverview project, although fresh and new, is quite the distance from the Rec center and the waterpark/slides up at Hillside and people are not really buying into the new Riverview project, guess we scrap the idea of another Riverview building as initially planned.
How about set up another company called FRPL Finance, we will use our collateral in our property thus far to obtain additional funds to continue our growth and develop other projects in Mexico, Hawaii, Belize and so on, we will grow and grow, because there is little money in managing a resort we want more money and the money is in the growth of other resorts. Darn the banks will not loan us money on our collateral, because we are committed to our owners that they have the right to use these places and the banks don't want to end up owning a timeshare resort. How about offer large rate of return to investors?
Things begin to turn, the economy drops, how do we now get more money? Wait, how about changing the idea of the 40 year leases to something called perpetual ownership, we will call it Legacy for Life, we will switch them over to RCI and use the point system to win them over. Great, another $5k to $8K from these people.
Things are not going according to plan, we cant pay our bills, or pay those creditors which just happen to be many of the original owners of FRP, lets declare bankrupcy, no assets, and change company names and have a plan in place to try and get our money back. Lets call it Northwynd.
Oh oh, we have raised the maintenance fees too high, people are bailing, they are realizing that the economics of owning are not as rosy as when we first hooked them. People are not paying their maintenance fees, people are dumping them on ebay for $1. What are we going to do? Hey wait a minute how about a scheme to charge them a one time fee, promising to renovate some of the units, and for those that want out, well heck lets just charge them also to get out. One way or another we will get more money. If we have to drop half our inventory, so be it, but perhaps with the inventory we drop, we can sell these units, or maybe level some of them and build new and start all over again. Afterall, that is where the money is.
You see, it is a business, Fairmont Reosrt Properties or Northwynd are trying to do nothing more than any other business, and that is to make money. As much money as possible. Somehow, I do think the majority of people have caught on to their scheme, and are seeing through them for what they truly are.
Greed is fine but you have to keep the tribe happy. I think this tribe of owners has spoken and you are seeing the results.
Reportively RCI and INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL has confirmed with a few inquiring Sunchaser members that if you have a current membership with either of them and you continue to pay your yearly membership fees to RCI or II you will be able to book getaways and discounted hotels as long as you membership fees are up to date.....this will reportively continue even if you no longer own a time share. 
