‘Lied in everyone’s face;’ Darke County campers blindsided after lot prices triple

WHIO Staff
·2 min read
2

Several campers in Darke County are upset after their campsite lots tripled in price.

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Stillwater Beach Campground is under new ownership, the Freedom Group, and many say they can no longer afford to stay here.

Campers typically put a $400 deposit down to camp on the grounds from April to October, but after the price jumped from $1,500 to $4,800, they want that money back.

News Center 7′s Malik Patterson spoke with campers who said they knew an increase was coming but they didn’t expect it to be this much.

“To tear everything down and move out after we’ve been here forever, I don’t know if I can do it,” Thomas Garvey said.

Garvey and his family have been camping at Stillwater Beach for 55 years.

But, the family, like many others, found out about the price increase through a phone call from the new owners.

“They jacked up the prices about 2 weeks after they specifically said they weren’t going to do that, so they just turned around and basically lied in everyone’s face,” Kasey Garvey said.

Most campers found out the price was increasing through a phone call on Oct. 22, but the new prices are said to go into effect as early as Nov. 1.

These people want their deposits back for next year’s camping session, as they can’t pay almost $5,000 to camp.

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“Supposedly, I have to call them tomorrow morning and tell them I vacated the lot, and if it’s to their standards I should be getting it back,” 3-year camper Charles Cotrell said.

News Center 7 went to the campground to get some answers, but the property manager said he wouldn’t speak on the subject and that we had to leave the property.

“We just want to get the word out we want people to know about this company and what they’re doing,” Kasey Garvey said.

Campers at Stillwater Beach said that they want their deposit back, and if they don’t get it, the Freedom Group could be hearing from lawyers.