I had recently purchased a used RV in-order to take my wife and our 6 dogs along on our outings on the Gulf Coast and was anxious to get started when I received a flier in the mail for the OCP “Resort” at Styx River in Alabama. They promised a free gift (an 'i pad' which we have never used) and a pleasant outing to view their facilities. We met our scheduled APPOINTMENT time (they had prompted us numerous times by phone; trying to impress us with how many new clients they had and how important it was to be on time). The facility was busy and there were lots of people there (RV-ing / tent camping / staying in the cabins and or club house). It seemed cramped, crowded and the grounds were not that impressive (terrain was inhospitable to the elderly, except by golf cart and the “River”/ fishing was non-existent; more like a big creek with people wading in small swimming holes.)
After the tour of the grounds and some (nice enough) un-occupied new cabins, they put you in a large room with other potential members and the 'razzle dazzle salesman' lays a heavy pitch on you at an individual round table about how many facilities (literally all over the country) that you will have access to if you join. The bigger enticement is the coastal resort accommodations and “in-expensive reservations anywhere you might want to go, that the salesperson himself (personally) claims to use nearly every weekend for a mere pittance amount of money (like $50 for the weekend).
The pitch is so fast and furious that it is hard to comprehend everything they claim to have for you as they blow the whole thing so far out of proportion (emphasizing the glitzy resorts elsewhere) that you start to think it must be worth tens of thousands of dollars in ‘lifetime’ benefits... Which they then 'wow you' with by saying it only cost $8,995 over your lifetime for everything plus Coast to Coast RV accommodations as a member...
What you do not realize is the $8,995 only entitles you to a 1 week free stay in one of their cottages each year (with 30 day prior notice/reservation).
Cottages are said to provide for up to (4) or (6) persons maximum per unit.
They say and I quote from the OCP Gold Membership benefits form of 13 items (in fine print) that:
as stated in Paragraph (P) 1."the OCP membership includes usage of cottages along with an extensive range of other fully-furnished rental units within Ocean Canyon’s family of resorts."
The key words are “usage of cottages” (this is limited to one week per year) and other fully-furnished “Rental Units” which OCP claims to offer will sleep anywhere from
(2 to 25) persons per unit.
(P) 5. Member may RENT cottages and other rental units for up to 14 days and then they must vacate for seven (7) days before returning.
(P) 7. States that “on major holiday weekends, OCP’s minimum stay requirement is three consecutive nights. All other weekends throughout the year require a minimum of two consecutive night stay.
(P) 8. States ‘a limited amount of Pet Friendly Units are available for member use at each resort. A pet deposit and cleaning fee is required.
(P) 9."Members need only bring their own linens while using rental units.”
Which means the units are not fully furnished!
How could a member anticipate the correct size of the beds available at any or all of the COTTAGES in the ‘extensive range of other fully-furnished rental units within Ocean Canyon’s family of resorts'.
(P) 12. “Member (s) receive one (1) “FREE WEEK” per contract year for use in an OCP cottage or other rental units (bunkhouses and reunion cabins excluded) for the lifetime of the ORIGINAL MEMBER.
If member cannot use their FREE WEEK it may be used by an immediate family member. Other than this instance, cottages are only available for use by primary member (s). An unused FREE WEEK may not be carried forward.
(P) 13. The jest of all this fine print is that all of these above mentioned items: “Is an addendum to the Membership Agreement. It must be signed by both the member (s) and an OCP Representative and finally accepted by OCP Resort Management. This addendum will supersede any discrepancies found between membership agreement and this addendum. OCP Management reserves the right to make all final decisions in all matters and may change these guidelines from time to time, if they feel it is for the betterment of OCP and its members.
*
THIS IS LITERALLY ALL THAT OCP GIVES YOU FOR YOUR MONEY... So read on to see what else happens:
OCP does not actually provide anything but the cottages (one FREE WEEK) and the resort where you can rent a RV / tent or etc. Space.
But you are now (generally unbeknown to yourself)
entered into a combo membership by signing some more membership forms along with another membership with Resorts of Distinction (ROD) and Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR).
Which is a yearly membership with more dues currently at $155. Per year
to remain a member after the date of this application.
You will be billed for these additional services at $155. Per year to remain a member of rod and aor in-order to utilize their services.
If you sign this combo membership enrollment application you are quote: “indicates that he/she has received a copy of and has read and understands and agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of rod and aor membership agreement which agreements are incorporated herein by reference...
Members who allow the renewal to rod or aor to lapse, will be charged a reinstatement fee of $150 for each service ($300 total) for rod/aor
(2) different services and you will then be billed at the prevailing annual rate.
Upon acceptance of this application by rod and aor, this application shall constitute an agreement between member and rod and aor.
note: at the bottom of the combo membership enrollment application it states that... include $79.00 enrollment fee with application.
*
also please realize that you would be suffering from severe eye strain at this point if you had read all of these fine print terms that you just agreed to.
*
OCP Golden Legacy Transfer... Leaving your OCP membership to your family.
Ocp properties golden legacy addendum
this legacy transfer option is a family based alternative to traditional transfers...
Which if you were reading the fine print is explained in the OCP Membership Contract.
BASICALLY ALL THIS MEANS IS YOU CAN TRANSFER THIS MEMBERSHIP TO ALL (EACH ONE) OF YOUR ADULT CHILDREN... The membership is divisible... And gives each immediate family member the option of owning their own individual membership.
If there are no adult children then the member may decide to will or transfer their membership to (3) three other people of their choosing. Each of these people must be ‘approved’ by ocp.
... These transfers may occur under any one of the following conditions:
A. Original member (s) death
B. Member’s twenty (20) year anniversary from date of purchase.
C. Once either one of the member (s) reach eighty (80) years of age.
Members must be current on all dues and in good standing with OCP
There is a 5% transfer fee (. 05 x $8,995. (the original fee) = $449.75)
Each subsequent member will be responsible for their own annual membership dues ($395),
payable at the current dues rate at the time of transfer.
NOT NECESSARILY THE ORIGINAL ANNUAL DUES OF $395,
BUT MORE LIKELY MUCH MORE!
Each New Member (NM) either an adult child (any or all) of original member or designated other people (up to 3) picked by original member MAY CHOSE TO SELL THEIR MEMBERSHIP AND KEEP THE MONEY OR THEY MAY CONTINUE TO PAY THE ANNUAL DUES AND “ENJOY” THE OCP SYSTEM.
*
As with all other Addendum’s quote: "this must be finally accepted by the OCP Resort Management "...
For which there is no evidence in any of the paperwork that the New Member (or the Original Member) has any evidence of or was ever provided to the members...
That OCP Resort Management has accepted anything.
*
And on and on... Basically OCP has you and can change anything they want to at anytime... For their benefit or the benefit of the members.
*
so you may say: "why not just sell it?"
well according to the styx river resort charter membership purchase agreement paragraph (p) 10:
transferability. Membership may be transferred three times. A transfer may occur by sale, gift, inheritance, dissolution of marriage, or by any operation of law subject to the following terms:
a.) That any resale of the Membership occur at least TWO (2) YEARS after the ORIGINAL date of the Membership Agreement;
b). That the membership is indivisible and may be transferred to only one (1) transfer; c). That the Membership may be sold for a price not to exceed the total cost of the Membership plus reasonable cost of transfer;
d). That all payments due under this Agreement are paid in full;
e). That the resort operator, in its discretion, has determined the transfer is satisfactory;
f). That the transferee has entered into a new membership agreement with resort operator;
g). That the transferee pays a transfer to resort operator of three hundred dollars ($300.)
the resort operator is under no obligation nor is in any way responsible for the resale of memberships. RESALE ASSISTANCE OR SUGGESTIONS OF SOURCES FOR RESALE DOES NOT GUARANTEE RESALE OR PROCUREMENT OF A BUYER.
*
Basically Folks if you did not check Ocean Canyon Properties out thoroughly before you attend their high pressure sale pitch and their quote:
“THE PRICE IS ONLY GOOD FOR TODAY” ULTIMATUM... And you bought their pitch;
THEN TRY TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT...
But don’t involve your ‘adult children’ or friends in this scam.
IT IS EMBARRASSING ENOUGH TO HAVE TO ADMIT TO YOURSELF THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HAD FOR $8,995 (all for the use of a cottage for a week a year) AND THAT YOU GET TO PAY $395 A YEAR (to maintain their grounds and pay their salaries) FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE FOR SOMETHING YOUR KIDS WILL HATE!
Jbf
0 comments