Introduction
Your campground is thriving—selling out weekends, turning away guests, waitlists growing. Is it time to expand? Adding sites is a major investment. Here's how to know when and how to do it right.
Signs You Should Expand
Demand Indicators
- Selling out regularly (75%+ of peak weekends)
- Turning away guests consistently
- Waitlist growing
- Prices at market ceiling
Financial Readiness
- Consistent profitability
- Access to capital
- Reserves for construction period
- Sustainable debt capacity
Operational Capacity
- Staff can handle more guests
- Systems scale (booking, communication)
- Infrastructure has capacity (utilities)
When NOT to Expand
- Solving cash flow problems (won't help quickly enough)
- One exceptionally good year (trend or anomaly?)
- Debt is already strained
- No plan for construction disruption
Planning Your Expansion
Phase 1: Feasibility
- Survey land and utilities
- Check zoning and permits
- Estimate costs
- Project revenue
Phase 2: Design
- Site layout optimization
- Utility planning
- Access roads
- Amenities serving new sites
Phase 3: Financing
- Calculate total investment
- Assess loan options
- Project ROI and payback
- Build contingency (20%+)
Phase 4: Execution
- Minimize disruption to existing guests
- Phase construction if possible
- Plan for temporary capacity reduction
- Marketing for new sites begins
Key Considerations
Utility capacity: Water, electric, sewer must serve additional sites Amenity capacity: Restrooms, pool, common areas may need expansion Staffing: More sites = more work Market absorption: Can your market fill additional sites?
Key Takeaways
- Expand from strength, not desperation
- Plan thoroughly before breaking ground
- Build contingency into every budget
- The best expansion pays for itself
Keepr scales with your campground, handling any number of sites with the same ease. Grow with confidence at campreserv.com