HGV agrees to purchase BlueGreen Vacations

[amycurl]

I'm trying to catch up, but am only to page 3, so please excuse if some of these points have already been discussed.
--Ultimate Access--this is HGV's rebranding of Diamond's "experiences" program, yes? This was one part of Diamond that we really enjoyed on our last, pre-merger exchange into one of their resorts.

--I really like the BG resort in Charleston (I think we toured it, a long, long time ago,) and the Savannah resort has an amazing location and looks very nice from the outside. Has anyone here stayed there and is willing to share pictures? *bats eyelashes*

--In the press release, they talk about four co-branded resorts that BG had with Bass Pro Shops. Has anyone ever stayed at any of these? Are they nice? Do they offer different kinds of outside, action-oriented activities (say, kayak day trips, for example?) Those sound kind of intriguing.

--Speaking of that partnership, I found it interesting that the announcement of the purchase and of the 10 year renewal of the partnership happened at the same time. I wonder if the lawsuit settlement earlier this year had spoiled the relationship between BG and BPS. If that relationship counted for 15% of BG revenue-generating leads, I wonder if finding a buyer (and new leadership) was needed by BG to get the renewal done or face losing the partnership all together. But that wouldn't necessarily account for the premium paid by HGV.

--Back when HGV had just purchased Diamond, pre-Max, there was speculation here about what the re-branded name would be. I remember a rumor about a "Hampton Vacation Club." Based on where they put BG on that chart, I wonder if this would be a more appropriate name of these former-BG resorts. Of course, it doesn't help with the acronym problem. (Maybe HaVC?)

I have no dog in this fight, but just interested as any run-of-the-mill #timesharenerd might be.

 

[drucifer]

All i can say is this is not an incentive to join their Max program, any more than the addition of the Diamond properties were. Both are a downgrade. If they offered free access for HGVC i would play around to see what's available but i definitely wouldn't be regularly trying to access Diamond or Bluegreen. Personally i don't see a reason why anyone owning Hgvc would want to downgrade, let alone PAY to downgrade. No thanks.

For skiers, new access to Vail, Aspen, Big Sky, and Boyne is attractive. Likely to be all booked out way before 6 months, though.

 

[escanoe]

For skiers, new access to Vail, Aspen, Big Sky, and Boyne is attractive. Likely to be all booked out way before 6 months, though.

In theory, if Max does take off with time and is truly treated like its own exchange … there may be a significant pool of inventory that opens up for Max members at 6 months out, truly shielded for Max until the 6 month mark. That may work good for people with Max someday. However, we are not at the point that such a thing is creating a reasonable clamoring for Max — certainly not enough to make a developer purchase to get it.

 

[dioxide45]

--Speaking of that partnership, I found it interesting that the announcement of the purchase and of the 10 year renewal of the partnership happened at the same time. I wonder if the lawsuit settlement earlier this year had spoiled the relationship between BG and BPS. If that relationship counted for 15% of BG revenue-generating leads, I wonder if finding a buyer (and new leadership) was needed by BG to get the renewal done or face losing the partnership all together. But that wouldn't necessarily account for the premium paid by HGV.

Do you have a link to the details of the settlement from earlier this year? The only information I can find was when the lawsuit was filed in 2019 and other details regarding a separate lawsuit by BG owners also from 2019.

 

[amycurl]

@dioxide45, post #119 included a link to the story.

#allcaughtup


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[dioxide45]

@dioxide45, post #119 included a link to the story.

#allcaughtup


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks. That looks to be dated 2019. The same one I was turning up. It seems they mended the relationship a while ago as Bluegreen needs Bass Pro more than Bass Pro needed Bluegreen.

 

[rapmarks]

Lots of Bluegreen bashing. What do you want from a timeshare?
location? Bluegreen has some in big cities, mountains, oceanside
golf or ski locations

i have been at Christmas mountain since 1987. It has a 27 hole golf course that is very nice, they have made it easier and easier over the years, but it is a really good golf course.
they have one indoor and four outdoor pools, each with a hottub. They could add water park features to upgrade the resort.
they have about 1200 acres, beautifully wooded. You have a setting you don’t find at most resorts.
they have free mini golf, paddle boats, kayaks, fishing lake, disc golf, volleyball, baseball diamond, basketball, tennis, pickleball.
they have a restaurant and a Starbucks, and a mini market right on site
four to five miles away you find the Dells, an area that brings in a couple billion dollars of tourist money each year.
The children of the owners of the big attractions are buying homes at Christmas Mountain. There are homes on my street that are five or six thousand square feet.
some of the units are too small and built too close together. Some units are extremely attractive. I have stayed at a few hgvc resorts, location great, units same as elsewhere.
When Bluegreen bought Christmas mountain, they added no new amenities, but did add lots of new timeshare units. If some money were spent to add to the amenities this would be a classy resort.

 

[GT75]

From the BG purchase press release, HGV membership base will increase from more than 525K to more than 740K and its resort portfolio from 150 to nearly 200 properties in 14 new geographies and 8 new states. Now on paper, HGV has solved one of its biggest complaints, the lack of resort locations. But many of us here on TUG understand that it will be difficult to access these additional properties with its HGVMax exchange program.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

740k owners. That's a lot of maintenance fees. I wouldn't be surprised if they find other upsell and cross-sell opportunities beyond timeshares to offer.

I was reading in the WSJ yesterday that millennials do not want their parents china and furniture but want experiences - vacations, concerts etc. It seems that HGV is trying to tap into that trend with their events. I see a lot of young professionals dropping significant coin on weekend music festivals and artistic events. The F1 race, and the BG Nascar connection seem to also support this.

In comparison MVC continues to be on the traditional focus of providing timeshares with family activities and activities geared toward an older crowd e.g. winetasting, pickleball. However their portfolio is geared toward a more well-heeled crowd and they have not pursued down-market.

It will be interesting to see how HGVC evolves this capability to attract young buyers. Perhaps they also realize that young buyers will be inheriting their parent's timeshares and this would be incentive to keep them by making the timeshare more relevant to younger tastes.

 

[sponger76]

For skiers, new access to Vail, Aspen, Big Sky, and Boyne is attractive. Likely to be all booked out way before 6 months, though.

Aspen during ski season is pretty much impossible to reserve even within the Bluegreen system if you don't own there. Big Sky is even more difficult, especially since Bluegreen only has some of the units there, and unlike almost every other Bluegreen resort they only accept bookings of exactly 7 nights. Vail might be easier because it is a new location for them so they probably have a lot of unsold weeks. Not too sure about Boyne, I never really tried to go there.

 

[sponger76]

--In the press release, they talk about four co-branded resorts that BG had with Bass Pro Shops. Has anyone ever stayed at any of these? Are they nice? Do they offer different kinds of outside, action-oriented activities (say, kayak day trips, for example?) Those sound kind of intriguing.

I think it's just the Ozark Mountains area resorts in Missouri that are co-branded with Bass Pro. Tons of outdoor-oriented activities on Table Rock Lake and in the nearby forest/mountain areas.

 

[dioxide45]

From the BG purchase press release, HGV membership base will increase from more than 525K to more than 740K and its resort portfolio from 150 to nearly 200 properties in 14 new geographies and 8 new states. Now on paper, HGV has solved one of its biggest complaints, the lack of resort locations. But many of us here on TUG understand that it will be difficult to access these additional properties with its HGVMax exchange program.

Was it "geographies" or "geographics"? I found this gem in one of their infographics. Kinda goes along with the rollout of HGV Max

 

[CalGalTraveler]

ROFL... blame it on AI developed content

 

[drucifer]

Aspen during ski season is pretty much impossible to reserve even within the Bluegreen system if you don't own there. Big Sky is even more difficult, especially since Bluegreen only has some of the units there, and unlike almost every other Bluegreen resort they only accept bookings of exactly 7 nights. Vail might be easier because it is a new location for them so they probably have a lot of unsold weeks. Not too sure about Boyne, I never really tried to go there.

But for the salesweasels, it doesn't have to be possible to book. They just want to be able to say, "Oh you ski...well we have Whistler-Blackcomb, Tremblant, Tahoe, Breck, Vail, Aspen, Steamboat, Park City, Big Sky, Boyne, Loon, Sugar, Beech... we got you covered."
Even though they are on 4 different systems (HGVC, Diamond/HVC, Embarc, BG) and are mostly unavailable except to owners at the specific locations during their specific home weeks.

 

[GT75]

But for the salesweasels, it doesn't have to be possible to book.

Oh, so very true.

 

[rapmarks]

But for the salesweasels, it doesn't have to be possible to book. They just want to be able to say, "Oh you ski...well we have Whistler-Blackcomb, Tremblant, Tahoe, Breck, Vail, Aspen, Steamboat, Park City, Big Sky, Boyne, Loon, Sugar, Beech... we got you covered."
Even though they are on 4 different systems (HGVC, Diamond/HVC, Embarc, BG) and are mostly unavailable except to owners at the specific locations during their specific home weeks.

Lol, sales weasel. We told sales weasel we wanted to go to Sioux Falls on vacation . She disappeared for a long whole and came back with a big smile. We could stay in Lead while we visit Sioux Falls, they are only 400 miles apart. Have to make the visits short, long drive back and forth

 

[pedro47]

What is the bare minimum cost to join MAX and can you retain your Diamonds points and deed ???

 

[nuwermj]

What is the bare minimum cost to join MAX and can you retain your Diamonds points and deed ???

I can't speak to the minimum cost. MAX is just another club-type exchange system that sit on top of ownership. Members keep their previous ownership (yes you retain your Diamond points), but in MAX you have a different set of club rules and loyalty benefit.

 

[geist1223]

You also lose some of your original Benefits if you join MAX. As DRI Members if we join MAX we lose our Club Select/Club Combination and our Platinum Status.

 

[chapjim]

Is it just me or is there an abundance of new BlueGreen listings on eBay?

 

[TUGBrian]

740k owners.

hope they all find TUG =)

 

[Eric B]

Is it too soon to move the BG sub-forum up from All Others to under HGVC?

 

[dayooper]

Is it just me or is there an abundance of new BlueGreen listings on eBay?

The BG forum is stating that BG has been exercising ROFR on everything that gets brought to them. Maybe owners are willing to see if the buyout curtails that a bit.

 

[dioxide45]

The BG forum is stating that BG has been exercising ROFR on everything that gets brought to them. Maybe owners are willing to see if the buyout curtails that a bit.

They must be low in available inventory to sell. I saw it mentioned that they are building a couple new resorts? Perhaps they need inventory to bridge the gap until they can get those online in sales.?

 

[letsgobobby]

I'm an avid skier and the Ikon, Mountain Collective and other multi-resort passes do make access to multiple timeshare locations kind of appealing. The problem is most ski weeks in most systems are very high demand. After owners and various internal priorities, I just can't see much leftovers being accessible to peons like me. It sort of makes sense, if a system couldn't fill a ski resort even during ski season, how could they ever cover costs? No skier buys a ski week and then doesn't use it. And since ski weeks are expensive, most ski weeks are bought by skiers.

Honestly this is where a fractional is a better system. ie, 24 families share ownership of 4 ski chalets in Mammoth, Big Sky, Jackson Hole, Taos. Each chalet $3 million = $12 million investment. Each family = $500,000 all in up front plus maintenance fees but gets access to 4x52 = 208 weeks/24 = 8.5 weeks each, probably 2 ski, 2 summer, 4 mud. But access is nearly guaranteed, you get wide variety of locations, etc. August fractionals in Europe is doing something like this with classic European renovations in Paris, Barcelona, Mallorca, London, etc. Very appealing... if you can afford it.