Virginia Parks ???

[RazorbackRollin]

Ive heard that Virginia has decided to take their State Parks private. As in privately managed. This does not seem to me to be a great idea. One things most states have done is a fair job running the parks and keeping fees low. Privatisation may change all of that. Management might be better but our cost could be more. Drivin by the market and not for the public at large. What do y'all think??

[WhittleBurner]

Ive heard that Virginia has decided to take their State Parks private. As in privately managed. This does not seem to me to be a great idea. One things most states have done is a fair job running the parks and keeping fees low. Privatisation may change all of that. Management might be better but our cost could be more. Drivin by the market and not for the public at large. What do y'all think??

I may be a bit biased but I have never liked the idea of any government getting involved in anything. Just seems like they always find a way to screw up anything they get involved in.

[Hoopy Frood]

While I do agree that government run entities inspire little confidence, I've also found that businesses hired by the government to run previously operated government jobs, are not much, if any, better. Case in point: Missouri DMV used to be run by the government, poor service but not abysmal. Now it is operated by a third party, and has become abysmal. There can be 5 people behind the counter, with one actually doing any work. Going to the MO DMV? Take a book, preferably something by Tolstoy.

[sande005]

Can't find anything for Virginia. But there is a bill in West Virginia to privatize their park system. Sounds like very long leases (50 years), with the contractor being allowed to do almost anything they want with the land. There apparently were previous attempts in that state, that got defeated by public outcry. I was heavily involved for years in both sides of the issue, both working for a very major public organization that contracted out its previous services, then working for the contractor, then hired by the public agency to oversee the obligations the contractor had agreed to. Sometimes it can work out to be beneficial to all parties (including the users), sometimes it is carte blanche for the private company to drain all the "value" out of the proposition and ruin it for all.

[Hokensalem]

Well said and true.

[RazorbackRollin]

It could be West Virginia I should have done a little research. But the premise is the same. I don't think that will ever happen in Arkansas but we will cross that bridge at the time. Get involved where you can and advocate for the RV/camping family. Happy Camping.

[Wicked ace]

reading through it seems the information was misguided? My experience with Virginia State parks is a very positive one. Three I frequent are First Landing in Virginia Beach, Kiptopeke in Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore and Pocahontas in Chesterfield. I really liked Pocahontas, the best of the Virginia parks I stayed at but all are nice parks and well run. It was a disappointment last year when they raised overnight rates that kinda priced them out for me. I could drive further to Maryland or North Carolina and find a nice spot for half the rate especially since both offer a senior discount to all.
All that said I would hate to see them mess up a good thing. Some things should not be privatized.

[mackazon]

Ive heard that Virginia has decided to take their State Parks private. As in privately managed. This does not seem to me to be a great idea. One things most states have done is a fair job running the parks and keeping fees low. Privatisation may change all of that. Management might be better but our cost could be more. Drivin by the market and not for the public at large. What do y'all think??

As long as Sun Properties or Bluewater Mgnt isn’t involved

[r&jbennett]

I'm a Virginian and Va annual state park pass holder. This past year Virginia State parks system change reservation management contractors. They have not out-sourced the management of the park system or the individual parks. Hope this helps.

[PTParker]

I may be a bit biased but I have never liked the idea of any government getting involved in anything. Just seems like they always find a way to screw up anything they get involved in.

I agree, on most things, but in this case state run parks have kept the cost to camp down. Most of our private parks around here are double or more what the state parks are to camp! Our state parks are still in the 30 to 38 dollar range per night, where we have a local KOA that is a unimproved park with dirt sites, no sewer hook ups and very little in amenities and they are between 48 and 56 dollars a night according if you are close to the water or not. It is easily the worst park we have around here and is the most expensive! The Parks we used to stay at in Tennessee in the Smoky Mountains are all over $100 dollars a night, one it $167 dollars a night! Could not believe it when my wife's cousin told us, but I had to check it out myself, yep, $167 dollars a night!