Timeshare Trends Blog

The Westgate Planet Hollywood Towers Resort will be rebranded as a Hilton Grand Vacations Resort. Resort Finance America (RFA) has acquired controlling interest in the resort and has appointed Hilton Grand Vacations to rebrand the property and provide vacation ownership sales and marketing services. The property was developed by Westgate and opened in late 2009. As the largest single vacation ownership building in the world, the Planet Hollywood Towers has 52-stories and 1,201-units offering adjoining access to the Miracle Mile shops and is adjacent to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino complex.

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Employees of Timeshare Mega Media in Fort Lauderdale have pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. The fraud charge can carry up to five years in prison and all are awaiting sentencing. FBI agents raided the company’s East Oakland Park Boulevard office in July 2010, and the FTC filed a lawsuit against Timeshare Mega Media a few months later. The alleged masterminds behind the company are Pasquale “Posh” Pappalardo, who according to court filings, served more than six years in federal prison in the mid 1990s on drug, firearms and counterfeit money charges, and Joseph “Joey” Crapella, who spent nearly eight years in a Florida prison after being convicted in 2000 of racketeering and grand theft in a scheme involving the sale and stocking of vending machines.

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The Club at the Village Coconut Island has joined the Interval International Global Vacation Exchange Network. This resort is the latest Absolute World Group resort to join the global vacation exchange network. The timeshare is a private residence club and is part of an exclusive mixed-use development on a private island off the east coast of the popular holiday island of Phuket in Thailand. The resort has been developed to create the ideal vacation residence for owners and Interval International members according to Bryan Lunt, chairman of Absolute World Group. In fact, the resort was recently named “Best Shared Ownership” development in the inaugural Southeast Asia Property Awards created by Property Report South East Asia. The magazine received more than 1,500 nominations and recognized winners as “the crème de la crème of the industry.” Amenities include a spa and state-of-the-art fitness center offering yoga classes and Thai boxing lessons, two lighted tennis courts, and a children’s club.

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Exclusive Resorts has added 20 new destinations for its members to enjoy around the world. These include six new residences at the ultra-chic Viceroy Anguilla as well as access to luxury villas at 13 leading resorts across Asia and more through an alliance with Banyan Tree Private Collection. The Club has also introduced membership enhancements and premium benefits, including Elite status for members with the United Airlines MileagePlus loyalty program. According to Philippe Bourguignon, CEO, “Today more than ever, the Club offers an unparalleled way to experience the very best the world has to offer. Our unique vacation offering includes hundreds of luxury residences around the globe, a new line-up of once in a lifetime members-only ‘bucket list’ travel experiences each year and VIP access at events such as the Super Bowl and New York City Fashion Week.”

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Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Anderson Ocean Club is the newest Hilton Grand Vacations and Strand Capital Group collaboration. Located in Myrtle Beach, the project combines the industry-leading sales and marketing expertise of Hilton Grand Vacations with the property management strength of Strand Capital Group, a premier real estate development firm. It is comprised of 152 units and is slated to open in early 2012. The property features studios and one, two and three-bedroom condominium units. Located in the heart of the Grand Strand and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean the upscale resort offers immediate access to Myrtle Beach with elegantly appointed ocean view and oceanfront suites, a furnished patio, full kitchens, spacious living and dining areas, the acclaimed full-service Awakening Spa, fitness center, and valet parking.

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Greek Peak Mountain Resort recently celebrated the opening of its new Adventure Center as featured in Resort Trades magazine. Located in Cortland, New York, the resort is surrounded by the Finger Lakes Trail and Tuller Hill State Forest and is one of two resorts on the east coast with an indoor waterpark and ski-and-ride area all on the same campus. Greek Peak originally opened in 1957, it’s 106 unit condominium and hotel, Hope Lake Lodge and Indoor Waterpark opened in December 2009. Greek Peak’s mission to provide families with four seasons of fun is what compelled the resort owners to add the new Adventure Center. Guests may now enjoy outdoor activities year-round including four dual zip lines, an aerial challenge course, team-building challenge course, and a mountain coaster.

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Bluegreen Corporation recently celebrated 20 years at its headquarters in Boca Raton with a weeklong celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony. The celebration commemorated its growth and success in the timeshare, resort management, and real estate industry since its relocation to south Florida. Founded in 1966 as the Patten Corporation, the company celebrated 25 years of success as a land sales company in Vermont before it opened its location in Boca Raton. Bluegreen owns and/or manages more than 50 timeshare resorts throughout the United States and Caribbean.

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Timeshare industry keys in on the silver linings. That statement is according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel from October 25, reporting on the Shared Owner Investment Conference held at the Peabody Orlando on International Drive in Orlando. Despite the fact that sales in the timeshare industry were flat this past year, the industry reports that they have keyed in on more efficient marketing, they report consistent and higher occupancy rates than the hotel industry, and nine out of every ten owners remain current on their loans. $6.4 billion worth of timeshares were sold in 2010 compared to $6.3 billion in 2009. The industry’s peak was in 2007 when $10.6 billion were sold.

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Legoland Florida officially opened on October 15 to sold-out crowds. Located in Winter Haven, the park encompasses 145 acres making it the largest Legoland park in the world. It is also located on the site of the old Cypress Gardens, noted as the very first theme park to open in Florida. The park is primarily geared towards children is now the fourth major theme park destination in central Florida after Disney World’s four parks, Universal’s two parks, and Sea World Orlando

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The Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort at Bonnet Creek is now open and has now joined the Wyndham Worldwide Corporation’s timeshare resort on the same Bonnet Creek property, which is surrounded on three sides by the Walt Disney World Resort. Bonnet Creek is also home to the 498-room Waldorf Astoria and a 1,001 room Hilton. The Wyndham Grand has 400 rooms and suites, including family units with bunk beds. It also boasts a spa, lagoon-style spa, and 25,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

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