Back in 2000 we stayed at this resort in our RV, and liked it for the fishing. We paid in full to become a member of the campground. Little did we know at the time but this would be the worst mistake we ever made. The resort was involved in a nasty lawsuit a few years later where the original land owner sued the resort. As a result of the lawsuit, the "resort" has attempted to pass along these additional costs they incurred from their lawsuit onto their members, and meanwhile hidden this from any potential members of the resort. The resort has not been successful at these efforts and has been on the verge of bankruptcy and foreclosure for many years now. Add to this the fact that the resort has not paid taxes in several years and has an F with the Better Business Bureau. The resort has been under several different names, including Tallulah River Resort. Our last visit to the campground was 14 years ago, yet we have continued to pay our annual dues and taxes as members. The resort still continues to pursue charging us penalties (to the tune of $3,000 per member as a result of their being sued by the original land owner). From reports of other RVers who have visited, the resort has declined steadily in recent years from numerous cost cutting measures to make it appear that the resort is still open. Many other members and paying guests have reported on the poor road conditions, small campsites, primitive bathrooms, loud parties, and no staff around anywhere to answer questions in person or by telephone. They don't even take credit cards I hear. If you are visiting the area, avoid North GA Camping Resort at all costs!
You haven't even been there in 14 years and have no first hand knowledge of anything that goes on there and this rant seems to be more something you should take up with your lawyer than with this forum.
As a Florida native, I have been hearing stories like this my whole life. The companies write the contracts and like a sexually transmitted disease, you have it for life and then they go after your estate. They have been the legal route many times before and have all of the first 10 steps in their computer and it costs them little for you to sue them. They just send letter 3, then letter 4 and so on. They are a cancer. I would hope that anybody reading this would learn never to buy a time share under any circumstances. You might call them and ask for a buyout where you give them a much smaller cash payment and they let you off. Have a lawyer review their letter OKing the buyout.
Wow - their memberships are $600/year. What that gets you is an RV site for 19.95/night, while non-members have to pay between $38 - $55/night. That means to warrant the savings on a $55 site, you need to stay at least 18 nights a year - 34 nights to warrant on the $38 sites. Of course, if you go 14 years without staying any nights, that's $8400 spent for nothing. $8400 would buy me 363 nights based on my average cost (looking through my past Reserve America and Recreation.gov reservations - including the reservation fees).
