What happened to our member portal & community center?
Members and staff occasionally discussed having a member portal for several years. In summer 2023, we activated our member site, expanding it more in 2024. Sadly, by spring 2026, too few had embraced it, making it less effective than desired by those who used it. With the intention of balancing membership satisfaction, fiscal responsibility, and staff’s ability to effectively manage our membership affairs, the Board of Directors finally made a difficult decision to not renew the contract, closing it in June 2026. (As of 6/12/2026, other tools are being implemented.)
Is Rivers & Rockies attempting to replace any association?
Emphatically NO! We’re merely another option in the industry, created to fill needs which members and non-members brought to our attention through Mary Arlington in her role as the Executive Director of three separate state associations. The ideas were primarily echoes from the three states, but it didn’t stop there. Park owners and business leaders outside of those organizations had their issues, concerns, questions, and scenarios.
In formulating our basic foundation, the Board of Directors from the Colorado Campground & Lodging Owners Association and from the South Dakota Campground Owners Association each chose to embrace this umbrella organization to preserve their programs, to assist them in long-range preservation of their organizations, and to expand benefits to members.
Is Rivers & Rockies replacing CCLOA and SDCOA? Are state associations a thing of the past? Is the state association closing its doors?
(Some day I’ll clean this up, but here’s insight to ensure we cover it all.)
CCLOA & SDCOA each chose to gain support from Rivers & Rockies as a means of planning for another 55+ years of service to the private sector of outdoor lodging in their respective states, and then they opened up the doors to the surrounding states which haven’t had the pleasure of the wide range of support that CO & SD members have had for all those years.
The associations aren’t being swallowed up and they aren’t going away. They will continue to operate in an administratively streamlined manner. The members of any one state will determine the position on that state’s legislative issues, and they’ll determine who serves on their state Board, and their Board will determine who serves on Rivers & Rockies Board.
Rivers & Rockies allows for more focus on the programs the members want and less focus on managing the affairs of the association itself. The programs continue, and more are being added. Same goals, and with the resources to add even more. It’s streamlined to allow the members to see more value.
State associations can offer enormous value so, if we want them to be able to offer another 50-some years of service to owners and managers of outdoor lodging businesses, then they need to be supported. Yet, it’s tough to manage small associations. Rivers & Rockies provides administrative support to CCLOA & SDCOA, and the larger combined membership enables us to negotiate more benefits.
The Directors recognized the value of each state association and the 55 years of history they each carried. We believe this new direction actually stabilizes the future of CCLOA & SDCOA. We will assist the state association’s Legislative Advocacy Committee at the community, county, state, and national level. When working with the public, the elected, and the media, the voice shared will be from within the state association.
Is Rivers & Rockies going to be controlled by Colorado and South Dakota park owners?
Initially, yes, because it was their ways and means which we evaluated and morphed, so now we need to ensure we get the kinks worked out now that it’s all blended for the greater good of everyone. Those directors invested endless hours of insight, thought, and negotiation, and their associations bore the risks.
Ultimately, no. In time, after we have evolved a bit, we see two outdoor lodging businesses serving on our Board of Directors per state in which we have two or more members (in addition to up to three Professional Partnering members are also eligible for Board seats).
Through it all, and on into all the years ahead, SDCOA and CCLOA will each have their full Board of Directors serving in their state, per their respective bylaws.
If several outdoor lodging businesses from one state join us and want to form a state association, we will gladly guide them through it, although the daunting task of forming one is not a requirement.
Why does the membership year for the outdoor lodging businesses run from October to September?
It was decided that this cycle worked well with the work-cycle of the outdoor lodging businesses and our non-profit itself. To those who manage and monitor our programs, it has proved to be cohesive.
The camping “off season” (autumn & winter & early spring) is when the association itself has a full plate (legislative sessions, educational sessions, networking, etc.). Choosing 1/1 would be like asking parks to switch front office programs on 7/1. Better to have a cohesive off-season!
Is the CampColorado / CampInSouthDakota marketing going away?
Definitely, no! CCLOA & SDCOA members will still receive their robust listing on the respective consumer-driven website, and the social media programs will still be used to reach the camping public. Even the marketing materials will still be in Welcome Centers, RV dealerships, attractions, and so forth (they might even show up in more places).
What else is impacted?
Most all things, and yet Mary and your Board of Directors have had it under control throughout the process. Feel free to ask us specifics and we’ll do our best to explain it. What a story we’ve lived!
We held two Town Hall Meetings to explain conditions and situations, and to address member questions. For those who didn’t catch one of them, we’ve been accepting one-on-one phone calls to explain things. So now, if this FAQ doesn’t address your question, please feel free to contact us.