Okay, this is only a theoretical question, to get some idea of the interest.
How many folks would be interested in a Patrons Campgrounds at Scarby?
It would be a General/Open campgrounds arrangement, with first-come/first-served. Until I get a large (like 500) number of folks interested, I don't intend to starting reserved camping areas like I have at Sherwood and in about 2 years at TRF.
I need to put together a sales pitch to the Scarby General Manager when I go up later this year (probably August-September).
How much would you be willing to pay for weekend camping? This gives me a revenue selling point.
My main selling point is that "intoxicated" patrons would not be travelling on the roads to get back to their hotels/motels (means less liability to the Faire). Additionally, if they save $80 a night from not staying at a motel, that means they have that much more money to spend in Faire.
Any other selling points would be appreciated.
I will have to sell the costs of land clearing, road gravel, port-a-potties, trash dumpsters, etc. to make my point.
It will take about 8-12K to clear the land, 5K to lay in the gravel, and about 10K per year for port-a-potties, dumpsters, and trash pickup. Figuring on a standard 5 year return on investment (ROI), we would need $13,400 per year income from the campgrounds, resulting that we need about 500 campers per weekend. If I don't see that interest, there is no reason to pursue this. BTW, SWFF attendance on the major weekends is 800, 400 on the lesser weekends, making us break even. With the expansion of the SWFF General/Open campgrounds and Reserved campgrounds, we should get a ROI in 3 years.
I would most likely camp twice a season even with living a short distant away just to hang with friends. 10 would seem reasonable for unapproved camping.
Having been going to scarby since I came to texas, every year i hear a lot of folks from outside the dfw area say that they would come up if there was camping, and every year its brought up in some form or fashion with 0 public response. I have personally sent an email every year (for the last 6 years) on this very subject and never got a reply.
I personally only live an hour away... and yet... I would camp in a heartbeat if The option existed. As I attend every weekend, this would save me a lot in gas/exhaustion if the option was available.
At Sherwood and TRF, i keep hearing that people refuse to come up on the sole grounds that there is NO camping. Nobody wants to make a 3-4 hour one way trip to either go back home that night.
But... back to your point.... I would wholeheartedly back this if somebody could convince scarby to do it.
I would personally like to see a season pass for camping, and the ability to have dedicated areas much like sherwood...
But i would pay 10 bucks a weekend. - anymore would be pushing it in my opinion.
Given the number of people who have dropped off the forum; you might get a better response from Friends of Scarborough on Facebook, or even Row 12 between Fairs on Facebook.
Mike, i sent you an invite to the Friends of Scarby Group on FB.
Another thing to keep in mind mike is that Scarby also does Screams.
This is another time where folks may want to come up and camp.... (but who knows...)
Quote from: SQiRL on July 13, 2012, 04:56:20 AM
Mike, i sent you an invite to the Friends of Scarby Group on FB.
Another thing to keep in mind mike is that Scarby also does Screams.
This is another time where folks may want to come up and camp.... (but who knows...)
Actually that might be more true than you think. It would mean that they wouldn't have to drive to Dallas at midnight after drinking at the pub.
Quote from: SQiRL on July 13, 2012, 04:56:20 AM
Mike, i sent you an invite to the Friends of Scarby Group on FB.
Another thing to keep in mind mike is that Scarby also does Screams.
This is another time where folks may want to come up and camp.... (but who knows...)
Good point.
I'll check Facebook sometime in the next couple of days.
I live in Waxahachie and I would camp if offered... a couple of years ago there was 30 acres for sale about 1/2 a mile away from faire i was looking at, but didnt have the funds.
If there was camping we would make the trip down from OKC at least 3-4 weekends per season, attending all weekend, instead of the 0-1 trip we make, now. I believe you would pull in a great deal more repeat out-of-town, and even out-of-state, revenue if you had camping, since the cost of fuel is already more expensive than many people are able to easily pay, and hotel room fees on top of that are prohibitive for almost all but the relatively well off.
We LOVE Scarby, and would be there every weekend if we could! Camping would make getting there more often much easier, and much more enjoyable, as well... and I would consider $10-15 per weekend for adults to be reasonable, with perhaps a combined rate for families.
Getting lots of good input from the Facebook page.
Firstmost - My business plan to be presented is for only primitive camping. That means no electricity, no water, no sheltered sites, no WiFi, no showers, no flush toilets. You get port-a-potties and trash dumpsters and a cleared plot of land to set your tent or trailer.
My intention is to make camping price as low as possible. My ideal is $20 for a family of two adults and two children (6-12). Pricing for other grouping gets complex. Remember that vehicles don't camp, people do. Thus setting camping price for a weekend at $7 per adult (13 and above) and $3 per child (6-12) (under 6 free) would make the $20 per family group (2 adults/2 children).
Once we build showers and flush toilets, price would increase to what we do at Sherwood ($10 per adult/$5 per child 6-12 and no family ceiling price). Remember that adding showers and flush toilets means adding power and sewer to support. That means a large cash investment from the Faire management. Presently, there isn't a power availability beyond the present requirements (same as Sherwood).
Give things three to five years to get Faire management comfortable with the idea and show that Patron's camping is a good cashcow. After that we will have a negotitaing point for improvements to what some folks desire.
I will only weigh in this far.. I think it is a wonderfull idea and if I ever get a chance to to Scarby and the CG. is available I would take advantage of it. The price is right. However I have a 38' motor home. With your plan would you be able to accomodate me??????
Mike, I think that price is very reasonable, and I would be happy to pay $10 to camp for the weekend for my daughter and myself! We can bring any water we would need, and we have no need for electricity when we camp, so a flat space for our tent, with maybe a few trees left here and there for some shade, sounds wonderful to me! It would make visiting multiple times during the season much more affordable, and give us a MUCH larger budget for Faire, itself!
We only live 1 1/2 hours up I-35, but I think it'd be fantastic for Scarby to have patron camping. I think we'd camp 2 to 3 times per year and it would - enhance the faire experience, save us more money to spend inside and create a bonding experience for Rennies both old and new as well as offer a way for new faire goers to meet us old Rennies and become more involved and interested in faire. For un-improved campgrounds - $10 per night would be reasonable, a bit more if they provided shower houses and flushies.
The hubby and I would definitely make use of camp grounds at Scarby (privy boxes, cleared land, and shade trees are all we would need)
Replying to push back up the list.
I haven't forgotten the Scarby folks. Just that TRF ate up my time.
I may setup an appointment with the GM just after the Scarby season 2013. Since I have to stay at a motel in the area due to the length of drive both ways, I can't bring the Sister and dogs.
I had planned on retiring April 2013, but my company made me an offer I couldn't turn down (can you say unlimited paid time off over my 200 hours of annual vacation?).
They ain't never gonna let you go voluntarily, Mike.
::)
Quote from: mpullen on November 30, 2012, 04:30:55 PM
Replying to push back up the list.
I haven't forgotten the Scarby folks. Just that TRF ate up my time.
I may setup an appointment with the GM just after the Scarby season 2013. Since I have to stay at a motel in the area due to the length of drive both ways, I can't bring the Sister and dogs.
I had planned on retiring April 2013, but my company made me an offer I couldn't turn down (can you say unlimited paid time off over my 200 hours of annual vacation?).
nice!
*My bribes usually involve rum but I would take that!*
your employer obviously values your work greatly (o:
I just moved to Arkansas and plan to make it to Scarby at least once, but if they ever added camping, I'd definitely go more than that!
Me and my Lady Marion would use the camp grounds and we only live 30 min away. Have Airstream will travel...............Huzzah...... Alerrick Afon Adou
any more information on camping???
We currently stay at lake bardwell about 18 miles away, so camping on the Scarby would be great!!!
DO IT!! Where do I go to make my support known? Someone said something about the Face Books. It's really important to have the camp grounds because I may be moving into a travel trailer in 6 months. I'm in a hurry to eat and get on the road to Sherwood today, so I will have to do this when I get back.
Never been to Scarby, mainly because it doesn't have camping, SO HELL TO THE YES ON GETTING CAMPING OUT THERE!!!
Thats all I have to say ;)
I would camp for sure. The main reason I don't make Scarby a part of my rounds is because there is no camping. Very interested
Camping is the first thing I look for in a faire.... I would prob go 2 times a year instead of my 1 every on their year.
I did it. I went to Scarby's web site and sent e-mail with the following:
We want campgrounds! We want campgrounds! We want campgrounds! Just wanted to let you know it would be a great idea, as TRF and Sherwood has theirs. I SO do not want to have to drive back home at close. Especially to the big city after spending all day in your village that functions on a human scale.
A future rennie-to-be...
We would DEFINITELY take advantage of this!
I have all ways wanted to camp at the fair.
Please realize that the main impediment to patron camping is the cost of insurance and added security. It isn't just clearing the land and adding a few privies.
That said, I would love to camp, but understand where management is coming from. Coy isn't trying to be a killjoy, he is actually a pretty cool guy. As an employee I am not allowed to camp, and I fully accept that.
i would camp and i live all of 45 minutes away. when i go to TRF, i camp. when i worked at Hawkwood (RIP), i camped and i lived about 45 minutes away from there as well. the after-hours at faire offers a different level of entertainment and camaraderie for patrons/playtrons because it allows people more time together in a more relaxed environment. it allows people who many only visit once a season to be able to visit more often because the cost isn't as high as staying in a hotel all weekend. staying in hotels (while nice with all the modern conveniences) also doesn't allow for quite the socializing unless people all stay in the same hotel, and then you have to be mindful that there are often customers at the hotel who are NOT rennies and who do not wish to be kept up by our (oft alcohol-magnified) carousing. i have long thought that patron camping at scarby would be a boon to both the faire and the people who consider it a second home but don't work there. it would bring in additional revenue and still be much cheaper than booking a hotel for an entire weekend. even with added insurance and security, i don't think it would be out of the realm of possibility as much smaller faires with much smaller revenue offer camping.
The Bayou Scoundrels and myself would love to come to Faire and camp afterwards. Like I read earlier in the post....not real keen on driving back to the Hotel after spending all day with friends and the drinks of Faire! Camping is a REAL BIG YES for us.
See my new thread. Things are getting active again.