Stanleys depart following record run as Bridgeport park hosts

BRIDGEPORT – Sue and Randy Stanley, the seasonal manager/hosts for the city’s Conklin Landing and Marina RV Parks for the last five years delivered their annual – and final – update of revenues and improvements at the regular monthly meeting of the city council on Oct.18.

Sue Stanley recapped developments at the then new Conklin Landing RV Park. The Stanleys assumed the host duties in April 2019, three months before Conklin Landing opened for business. One of the first actions the hosts took was to implement new software for an online reservation system to replace the previous paper records.

The park was full immediately in July and remained full through the end of August,” said Stanley. “Not a bad first half of the season because we were already into fishing season.”

COVID had arrived by the time the couple returned in April 2020. Stanley researched the Center for Disease Control guidelines, prepared a proposal for the city, and the parks reopened around Memorial Day that year and they stayed open until the catastrophic Pearl Hill wildfire that swept through the area on Labor Day weekend destroying many Bridgeport homes in the process. Despite the fire damage, the city was able to reopen the parks by October in time for fall hunting seasons.

“We were, again, full at Conklin Landing and Marina Park,” said Stanley.

In April 2021, the city brought in additional park hosts to assist the Stanleys at Conklin Landing because the facility was running at capacity and landscaping items were still being completed

“As the COVID restrictions were lifted and people were able to travel again, 2021 had the highest revenue in the history of the RV park,” said Stanley. “And in July and August 2021 we saw the highest occupancy rate ever at 85 percent.”

At that point Conklin Landing was only a year-and-a-half old.

In April 2022, both pairs of hosts returned for another high revenue season. During the intervening winter months Stanley had researched the membership benefits in the Good Sam Club, a nationwide network of RV parks. She presented her recommendation to the council to join Good Sam and the council approved it in November 2922 before the Stanleys departed for the season.

Stanley spent the winter of 2022-23 implementing the Good Sam software and migrating the city’s future reservations to the new platform.

“We went live in January 2023,” said Stanley, “completed the landscaping, added signage, painting, and other items Good Sam accepted.”

A June inspection by a Good Sam representative established the city’s rating.

Stanley explained the high ratings the parks earned, including a 9.5 out of a possible 10, and what amenities factor into them. Stanley handed out the 2024 rating guidelines to each council member so they will know what counts to keep the ratings high. She also explained how selling 39 Good Sam memberships to the city’s parks netted Bridgeport $29 per for an additional $1,100, though membership is not a requirement to stay at the parks.

Stanley concluded by advising the council that occupancy for July and August this year reached 95 percent.

“Since our arrival in 2019, the Bridgeport RV Park has made over $500,000,” said Stanley. “The three years prior to our arrival the total revenue posted was just over $124,000.”

On a sad note, for the city but to appreciative applause from grateful council members, Stanley announced that the couple will not be returning to serve as hosts for the 2024 season.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483, michael@ward.media