DRI increased 2009 club dues to $275/Yr.

[BillR]

Club membership "THE CLUB" fees: :
ON 1/01/2007 - $155.00 Annual
ON 7/01/2007 Increased to $225.00.
ON 1-01-08 iNCREASED TO $275.00.
At this rate - In 2015, "THE CLUB" dues will be $875.00/Year.

MF's increased by 25% in 2009.
ON 1/01/2007 my MF's were $1,234.00 for 15,000 annual points.
ON 1/01/2008 my MF's were $1,453.00 for 15,000 annual points.
ON 1/01/2009 my MF's were $1,837.00 for 15,000 annual points.
At this rate - In 2015, "Maintenance Fees will be $7008.00/Year

So . . . in 2015, hypothetically my "THE CLUB" dues and Maintenance Fees will total $ 7883.00 annually. IF I would decide to utilize 2 1/2 1BR weeks in (DRI's "VERY" average properties in prime season, I would be paying $563.07/night.

Example: Palm Springs CA in February - From DRI, I would be able to spend 18 days at Marquis Villas or, (adjusting for inflation), for the same money, 8 weeks at the Gold Crown Palm Springs Tennis Club.

 

[timeos2]

Where are these fees coming from?

Club membership "THE CLUB" fees: :
ON 1/01/2007 - $155.00 Annual
ON 7/01/2007 Increased to $225.00.
ON 1-01-08 iNCREASED TO $275.00.
At this rate - In 2015, "THE CLUB" dues will be $875.00/Year.

MF's increased by 25% in 2009.
ON 1/01/2007 my MF's were $1,234.00 for 15,000 annual points.
ON 1/01/2008 my MF's were $1,453.00 for 15,000 annual points.
ON 1/01/2009 my MF's were $1,837.00 for 15,000 annual points.
At this rate - In 2015, "Maintenance Fees will be $7008.00/Year

So . . . in 2015, hypothetically my "THE CLUB" dues and Maintenance Fees will total $ 7883.00 annually. IF I would decide to utilize 2 1/2 1BR weeks in (DRI's "VERY" average properties in prime season, I would be paying $563.07/night.

Example: Palm Springs CA in February - From DRI, I would be able to spend 18 days at Marquis Villas or, (adjusting for inflation), for the same money, 8 weeks at the Gold Crown Palm Springs Tennis Club.

Are you in one of the DRI Trusts or a deeded week owner that opted to join CLUB on an annual basis?

 

[BillR]

I am a deeded owner. I have "visited" with the salespeople and can see NO positive benefits in the trust.

 

[timeos2]

I am a deeded owner. I have "visited" with the salespeople and can see NO positive benefits in the trust.

I wonder why your 2009 billing is $50 more than ours for the annual CLUB fees?

 

[BillR]

I wonder why your 2009 billing is $50 more than ours for the annual CLUB fees?

The VC stated that the additional $50.00 was a new charge effective 1-1-2009. I reviewed the $155 and the $70 THIS SUMMER AND SHE ACKNOWLEDGED $50 MORE DUE NOW.

 

[timeos2]

The VC stated that the additional $50.00 was a new charge effective 1-1-2009. I reviewed the $155 and the $70 THIS SUMMER AND SHE ACKNOWLEDGED $50 MORE DUE NOW.

Wow. If that happens this will be my last in THE CLUB. At $235 it is already nearly what my original weekly annual fee at my DRI resort was in 1992. WAY too much for a mere exchange company. I've heard nothing about yet another increase and will challenge it as vocally as possible if it actually occurs. DRI seems to be charging Club Members and (even more) owners at resorts they control outrageous and totally unjustified levels compared to services and quality offered. I hope its only a rumor.

EDITED TO ADD: Just checked my account & it shows only the $239 I was billed in the mail. They better not pull another bogus "special assessment" this year like they did in 2008.

 

[BocaBum99]

I am a deeded owner. I have "visited" with the salespeople and can see NO positive benefits in the trust.

I guess deeds don't mean squat vs. trusts. The bottom line is that if you can't rely on the management company to keep costs down, it doesn't matter if you own a deed or it's held in trust.

 

[timeos2]

I guess deeds don't mean squat vs. trusts. The bottom line is that if you can't rely on the management company to keep costs down, it doesn't matter if you own a deed or it's held in trust.

That certainly appears to modus operendi for DRI. At least with a deeded ownership we can simply drop out and end the ever increasing fees and suffer no other negative results. My $1100 paid in 1998 has been "used up" by now. If I was in the Trust dropping out means losing my whole original purchase costs, any future use/possible resale and whatever I would have paid (thousands) to get in. Not a good deal. So there is a big difference in deeded vs trust and its not good.

 

[dougp26364]

I had a $155 credit from last years overpayment that DRI refused to refund. My total bill remaining with a due date of 1-1-2009 was only $80 for a total of $235.

I agree that if they hit owners with another $50 special assessment that might be the straw that breaks the camels back. DRI seems to have the idea that owners have deep pockets with unlimited amounts of cash.

It's unfortunate that DRI quality is not matching what they're charging owners. If their quality was that of Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt or DVC, I might not mind nearly as much. I'd still mind but I'd at least be happy with what I owned. At this point the the value of our DRI ownership is diminishing rapidly and it's getting harder to justify keeping these weeks.