Here are your RV news highlights for the week of June 1 to 7, 2019.
On Wednesday, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) hosted a House RV Caucus breakfast at the Rayburn House Office Building. Later, RVIA members met with their respective senators and congressmen to talk about important legislative issues, including outdoor recreation infrastructure, modernization of public campgrounds and expansion for federal parks.
A new Hard Rock Hotel is coming soon to Bakersfield, California. In addition to a casino and 400-room hotel, it will include an RV park.
Outdoorsy, a leader in peer-to-peer RV rentals, has announced a one-stop RV purchasing program. The company will provide factory-direct access – including financing and insurance – for anyone who wants to buy an RV. The new program will launch first with Sprinter and Metris models.
Benton County, Arkansas’ Planning Board on Wednesday night unanimously approved the site plan for The Rocky Springs RV Park at 17094 Martin Pedro Road in Siloam Springs. The property owners propose developing the 50-acre tract with a park with 40 full hook-up sites, a public water source and a dump station.
Construction is in full swing in Elkhart, Indiana, on a three-phase expansion project for the RV/MH Hall of Fame Museum.
Craig Kirby has been named the interim president of the RV Industry Association (RVIA). Kirby has served as RVIA’s senior vice president of government affairs and general counsel. “Without our industry’s outstanding unity we could not have accomplished all the things we have over the years and overcome so many challenges,” he said. “And let’s not forget that industry unity brought us our shining star, Go RVing. Go RVing continues to this day to be a unifying force in an industry full of competitors.”
A story in the Washington Post quotes the RV Industry Association saying there are one-million RVers living full-time in recreational vehicles. There was no explanation given about how the RVIA defines an RV as “a vehicle designed as temporary living quarters for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use.”
Airstream Inc. announced the revival of two of its most popular historic single-axle models, Bambi and Caravel. Both trailers were originally launched in the early 1960s. Airstream has given the Bambi nickname to all single-axle travel trailers to denote their light, nimble size and durable quality. The first Caravel travel trailer showcased Airstream’s innovation in lightweight, small-space design that blends the look and feel of larger Airstreams in a sleek, lightweight package.
BMO Capital has dropped Camping World (NYSE:CWH) to a Market Perform rating from Outperform on concerns over industry channel inventory and the direction of the company since the Gander Mountain acquisition. It lowered its price target on Camping World from $20 to $11. On Friday, shares of CWH were $11.95 vs. a 52-week trading range of $10.12 to $27.17.