(( New Campground Question )), Tent only Camping .......... Options

[Out Fishing]

If you haven't already laid the power and water lines, consider a private cable TV system. Cable is very important to a lot of guests. Upfront costs are pretty high, but would be much cheaper to do when installing the utilities than later.

Wow, lol i never did think of that. and i wouldn't know where to start, do you know anything about private cable systems? so i can start my research with a base?

Thanks for the idea! ( it would be unique in my area)

[kcmoedoe]

Wow, lol i never did think of that. and i wouldn't know where to start, do you know anything about private cable systems? so i can start my research with a base?

Thanks for the idea! ( it would be unique in my area)

In the states, parks use one of the commericial installations of either Directv or Dish network (satellite Television providers). I am not sure what or if there is a Canadian equivalent. This is the service that provides the programming. From there, you will need head end unit, a combiner and an amplifier. There should be a television or commercial satellite company that can provide this equipment and the installation. To run the cabling, maybe you could check and see if a line tech for a cable company in the area wanted to earn some extra money and install it on the side. It is more complicated than just running miles of coax cable. The equipment for a 12 channel cable system runs about $7,000 to $10,000 US., not including the cabling to the sites. The satellite companies charge about $3.00 per site per month for the programming You will be getting mostly the basic channels, things like ESPN, HBO and the like are much more expensive. It can be suspended for up to six months a year, so you wouldn't be paying for months you were closed. This type of service is most often offered in apartment complexes and hotels, you won't find too much information of you search for it under campgrounds, but the fundamental systems are the same. Good luck, it sounds like if you can get all the loose ends tied up it would be a great marketing addition to your park.

[edcornflake]

Then you could mount some weatherproof flat screens at each site, on a tree. That'd be awesome... of course, I'm probably the only idiot that would want that, but I like watching movies outside when I camp...

[Out Fishing]

lol well we already and got a nice digital projector lol. no woodland flat screens tho haha

[pianotuna]

Hi,

In Canada the choices would be Bell TV or ExpressVU (oh yes Ma Bell at her finest) and Star Choice.

There are other regional players such as Telus.

[vincee]

In my opinion, I any new campground has to have Wi-Fi, perhaps even before adding a luxury like cable tv. In regards to tent only campgrounds, I can not for the life of me think why anybody would want to go there. Back in the 70's when I was but a young youth (Ahhh, the glory years!) I used to camp in a small 2 man pup tent at an area state park. I would always get a site with electric so I could plug a radio in at night and a coffee pot in the morning. Today, camping in our motor home, we still see families opt for the campsites with hook ups for their tents, paying more, than the non hook up sites. As far as opening a campground with "rows of rv's looking like a trailer park", again in my opinion that would only happen if your campground is not treed acreage and everyone was just plopped in an open field type setting. I would think laying plastic water lines (they generally are only put in shallow ditchs, different that hard lines going to stick and brick buildings) and electric would be the first alternative of start up before pools, rec rooms and the so forth. Has the perspective campground owners thought of who will be their customers and where and how (advertise) will they promote their business. Finally, regarding erecting pre-installed tents and campsites for those who do not have camping gear, a very aggressive marketing professional lady from Western New York State tried that concept 2 years ago in a bunch of New York State Parks. She had white (noticable) tents pre-erected on wooden bases with cots, bedding, cooking supplies, coolers and camp fire wood all set for the arriving campers. Her business lasted one camping season.