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Week of July 25 - July 31, 2003
Street Talk is a compendium of tips, facts, gossip, rumors,
speculation and editorial comment.
This Column is Published Every Friday, with
frequent updates throughout the week
E-mail: news@thetimesharebeat.com |
Email: street@streettalkblog.com
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Losses in the Millions: Click
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A few months ago we mentioned that we got a pop-up ad congratulating us on being the 1000th
visitor to the website we were looking at. It promised us wonderful things if we would only choose to collect our
prize. We checked it out, and it turned out to be a Travel Services Network (TSN) promotion, a company that
kind of franchises out its product to just about anyone who wants to sell it as a vacation/holiday club.
The history of some of the outfits selling the TSN product is shady, to say the least, and like most other holiday
clubs it is generally overpriced and over-promised and fulfillment seems to be problematical in many instances.
We had a wry laugh about how stupid that ad is.
Since then we have heard from a few other people who were also the 1000th visitor to that Web site (imagine
that), and we've passed our opinion along. On July 16 we received yet another message about it, as follows: --" Hello, During my Internet searches made yesterday I have obtained an information:
`Congratulations! You are the 1000th visitor to our website and have been selected to receive $1001 in travel dollars
toward a Disney Vacation. Call 1-6000-581-8915 to claim your prize.'
How can I consider it, as a joke? I would be very indebted for your kind answer."
This message came from a person in Cracow, Poland (and we received another from someone in Eritrea,
East Africa for cryin' out loud!) For starters, this is stupid marketing. And what did we tell these people?
As follows: --" No, it is not a joke. It is a lie. Thousands of people have received the same
message they can't all be the 1000th visitor can they? This company wants you to respond so they can talk you
into buying a holiday club membership or some such thing. We look at it this way: If they lied to get you to respond,
they will lie to get you to buy whatever they are selling." Buyer beware...
Email: street@streettalkblog.com
Just how difficult is it to take that " free" vacation you've " won" as
a condition to attend a timeshare presentation? No matter where in the world you are, the process is strikingly
similar. The Guardian recently wrote an expose about it, and it's pretty much right on. Take a look: (external)
Lying in the sun or just lying in Lakeside? It's a pretty damning brief on that scam outfit Club la
Costa, too.
Email: street@streettalkblog.com
Cendant's Hospitality Division is looking good in the second quarter. According to
their recent financial statement:
" (Consisting of the Company's nine franchised lodging brands, timeshare exchange and timeshare sales and marketing,
and vacation rental businesses)
2003 2002 % change
Revenue $ 635 $ 565 12%
EBITDA $ 150 $ 173 (13%)
" Revenue and EBITDA were positively impacted by the acquisitions of Trendwest and European vacation rental
companies in 2002, 13% growth in Fairfield timeshare sales revenue, and 8% growth in RCI timeshare exchange revenue.
EBITDA declined, however, due to a weak travel environment which impacted our lodging franchise business, lower
revenue from financing timeshare sales, and an increased investment in timeshare marketing, which should generate
incremental revenue and EBITDA in future quarters."
You can find the whole report here (look at Table 8) Cendant Reports
Results for the Second Quarter of 2003, Exceeding Projections
Email: street@streettalkblog.com
 William
" Marty" Fendrick - July 25, 2003
To all the friends
and associates and employees who worked with Mr. William " Marty" Fendrick, who was working at Marriott's
Grande Vista Resort in Orlando, Fl.
It is with a heavy heart and much regret that I am letting everyone know the passing of a great friend and mentor.
Marty passed away peacefully in his sleep Friday night July 25th.
Born in Bakersfield, California, he moved to Central Florida in 1991. Mr. Fendrick attended Holy Family Catholic
Church. He was a veteran of the US Army and a member of the Backwater Fly Fishers Club. Marty leaves behind daughter,
Katherine Fendrick of Orlando son, Bryan Richards of Temecula, CA brothers, David Fendrick of Temecula, Chuck
Fendrick of Wallace, ID and Randy Fendrick of Bakersfield, CA Sister, Carole Hearn of Danville, CA.
The celebration of Marty's life will be held Wednesday July 30th at the Dobbs Funeral home 430 N. Kirkman Rd. in
Orlando Fl. The viewing will be held at 11 am and the services will be at 12 noon. For directions please call the
funeral home at 407-578-7720
For any additional info please call Brian Cartwright @ Marriott Vacation Club Int. Grande Vista Resort 407-238-6800
ext. 3242
Words from friends:
Dawn and I were greatly saddened to hear of Marty's passing. He was a very good guy and a friend. We worked together
in Branson, and on several occassions went fishing. I have to say that Marty was a very fine fisherman. The stories
that he told me about catching fish were true, since on the times we went together he always did well. I shall
miss him, and hope he keeps a spot for me up there in that perfect stream that he is probably wading right now.
-Pat Joyce |
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| IN THE WESTERN Half of the USA: |
CALIFORNIA:
NEWPORT BEACH: Marriott Newport Coast is celebrating the opening of Phase 3, adding 24 new villas,
a swimming pool, whirlpool and a wading pool. This brings Newport Coast's total to 218 villas, with 29 more villas
to come in January.
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
COLORADO:
ASPEN: The Hyatt Grand Aspen may finally begin construction late this summer
or early in the fall, according to an article in the Aspen Times.
The 51-unit timeshare is slated for construction on the site where the former Grand Aspen Hotel once stood. The
project will be sold in one-20th shares, which means as many as 1,020 owners for the 51 units. With the ability
to lock off rooms from suites and rent them separately, the project will offer as many as 130 rooms for guests.
When the project was approved in 2001, the average sale price of $150,000 was predicted for a share of the project.
In all, nine three-bedroom units, four two-bedroom units, two one-bedroom units and four studios will be constructed.
The sales office recently opened on the corner of Mill Street and Hopkins Avenue.
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
NEVADA
LAUGHLIN: Las Vegas real estate developer Nick Azouz has decided to proceed
with his Emerald River development on 275 acres in Laughlin without the adjacent 110 acres he tried to acquire
from the Colorado River Commission. That means the project will be smaller than originally anticipated.
The master plan, which is zoned H-1, or hotel-casino, originally called for a 150-slip marina, 620 attached residential
units, a 90-unit timeshare tower, a 300-room hotel tower and 50,000-square-foot casino and 90,000 square feet of
retail space. Will the timeshare still get built? Read the story: (external) Rollin' on the river
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
WASHINGTON:
VANCOUVER, BC and BIRCH BAY, WA: GoldStar Resort Destinations Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary of Consolidated Firstfund Capital Corp., has announced that it has entered into discussions
with a major marketer of vacation ownership intervals to merge or joint-venture its Birch Bay, Washington,
USA property and operations. Sly dogs, they didn't say who the major marketer is.
This is the Jacob's Landing Resort, an RCI-affiliated Gold Crown resort, eight miles from the Canadian
border, 40 minutes from Vancouver, 20 miles from the ferry to Victoria, and about an hour's drive to Mount Baker
Ski area. Nice location.
Who do you think that major marketer might be? How major is major? Major like Trendwest? Or major like Shell
Vacations? Or major like Point to Point Destinations? Or?
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
|
| IN THE EASTERN Half & Midwest of the USA: |
|
FLORIDA:
BONITA SPRINGS: County Commissioners have voted unanimously to allow a
residential planned development on a 204-acre site off Coconut Road that would include a package store, convenience
food and beverage stores uses, with limitations in conjunction with timeshare resort facilities. The site, near
the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort, will be developed by WCI Communities Inc.
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
MAINE:
RANGELEY: There's a building boom going on at Rangeley Lake, within a day's
drive of New York City, Boston, Connecticut, etc. Since September 11 home prices have steadily risen and
new homes are being built as fast as permits can be had. Lakefront property is going for six figures, and there
isn't a lot of it left. Why? It's beautiful, it's calm, it's SAFE... This has been good for Rangeley Lake Resort,
which has just finished a $1 million clubhouse to compliment its timeshare cabins and main lodge.
Built from white cedar logs, the cabins have all the modern amenities and sit on 35 pristine acres overlooking
the lake. The resort is affiliated with Interval International. Marketing targets middle-income wage owners
who might otherwise be priced out of the second-home selling spree going on in Rangeley. You can find more information
at http://www.rangeleylakeresort.com/
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
SOUTH CAROLINA:
MYRTLE BEACH: Ouch! Looks like some people are not having a good season at the
Sheraton Broadway Plantation... --" As
only an intermittent reader of " Street Talk," and
realizing that so often there are two sides to every story, I felt compelled to search the back issues to see if
there were any stories to help explain the turmoil and utter chaos at Starwood's Sheraton's Broadway Plantation.
I was not disappointed! Now that most of the experienced reps have left the resort... what's left is a completely
demoralized assortment of those few (broke) reps who tried to have some faith in Starwood, and many inexperienced,
wide eyed green peas, who, week after week, are told " wait until next week!" , it's Easter!, bike week!,
4th of July!, the big money N'easterners are coming!...etc... After a long Spring of only getting one to two tours
per 4-day rotation, half of whom were never qualified to walk through the doors, this dynamic duo [PD Chris Kroos
and Woody Labar] has taken this once fine resort and is bleeding it to death! " VPG's are the highest ever
for June!" --so why are the only ones making any money the select few in inhouse, through which half of the
tours are seen, ALL of which are more than qualified of course! ...OPCs are so flagrantly violating all common
sense, that SBP is the laughingstock of the beach! Breathing? no spouse? just take off your wedding band, tell
them you make 50K, and try to speak a little English, and we'll give ya 60 bucks, 5 wonderful nights in our hotels,
breakfast, for only 45 min of your time! No job? it's ok, don't need one! 10 of you? be sure to park in different
areas of the parking lot, and we'll give ALL of you the freebies! ...You guys over at South Beach, I applaud you,
but I miss your integrity! Starwood, how long are you going to fall for those trumped up numbers, while their best
and brightest reps starve? Get these morons out of there before they destroy what was once a fine place to work.
This resort needs fixing now!"
- YOUR COMMENTS
- July 25: --" In
response to the Sheraton story, I would
say this person hit the nail on the head. This management team is the worst I have ever had the displeasure of
working with. ...All of the best people have left, the only ones left are those that BnC would not hire, those
too new to know any better, and a few quality reps that are stuck on their contract. I shudder at the thought of
what is going to happen to that place when the few, and I mean few, decent reps are off of their contract. ...Croos
fails to realize that he treats the few decent people left like crap, and that there are too many competetors in
town. This resort is ABSOLUTELY the laughing stock all over this t! own. Starwood open your eyes this ship has
sunk."
- July 27: --" As
one of the experienced reps that was
forced to leave over a year ago, I am saddened to see that nothing has changed. ... That resort has been the red-headed
stepchild of Vistana for years. The Orlando control center could care less and just lets any idiot run the place.
It has always been the resort that is forced to try out all the " brilliant" ideas that the idiots in
charge decide to bestow that month. Their promises have been going on for years. It all started to go downhill
when Jim Smith was placed in charge and his wonderful idea of 8 priority lines, which demoralized the whole resort
except for the 5 salesreps that were making all the money. The only time the resort has ever been at peace was
after Jim Smith left and Linda Nuccitelli was placed in charge. Everyone was happy and making money. VPG's were
the highest they'd ever been and for a year and a half things were great. Then the brilliant powers that be that
took over the resort as it switched from Embassy to Sheraton decided to bring the man Smith back to re-run the
resort he destroyed in his first time around. Oh, it's going to be different this time, was the promise. We are
going to be watching him very closely. WELL GUESS WHAT? HE DID IT AGAIN! This time driving off all the experienced
reps and managers and Ms. Nuccitelli, who was his threat. Once again they fired him, but alas it was too late,
all hope and faith in Sheraton was gone and people left for Burroughs and Chapin in droves. Those that remain are
stuck in contracts because Sheraton doesn't have the guts to admit that they have let people destroy that resort
and they should at least have the BALLS to let people go if they want to. If it were such a great place to work,
people would want to stay there and not sign a contract to do so. So now you have Kris Kroos, Susan whatever, and
Woody LeBar, the new leaders of SBP (Oh, and let's not forget who really runs the resort MARION QUINN), who have
now taken that resort into depths lower than Jim Smith ever could have. Reps, wise up and leave, don't sign contracts,
and believe me... just go to an attorney, there are plenty ways out of that shaky contract and company. Don't count
on In House positions to save you. It's in-house one month and out-house the next. Don't even know how those reps
still have the conscience to stay there, call it GREED when the other side is starving."
- July 28: --" Well,
well it is about time you people have
seen the light. Where were you eight, ten, twelve, months ago, when the fifteenth Olympic Game Plan was being drafted.
What a joke! Has that work in progress ever been enforced and does managemant even know what it says? Oh, I forgot,
management has the descretion to alter anything at any time to suit Marion or the other few favorites. ... Starwood
where are you? You once had stock in most of the talent in town. Good luck recruiting for next season. Do you think
this resort just runs on auto-pilot? It is time to do some much overdo spring cleaning. That is the consensus of
everyone. Clean this house!!!!"
- AND: --" I
have been following the comments here
concerning the problems affecting SBP, and sadly have to agree with most of what has been written. I truly believe
that Starwood by far has the most exceptional, flexible product in this industry. SBP used to be " the" place to work in this town, and reps looked forward to coming to work each day, knowing that they at least had
a shot at seeing families that for the most part were somewhat qualified to purchase, and that the tours would
be distributed equitably. Even Jim Smith, for all his faults, was one of the best closers in the industry. Kriss
Kroos, and Woody Labar, wherever they came from, seem bent on only flooding the resort with hopeful, inexperienced
reps, reminding them of past " glory days" at SBP, then burning them out by giving them tour after tour
of completely unqualified couples who have been told by marketing reps to lie about incomes, age, and anything
else they can get by with! All the while, Kroos and Labar just look the other way, and these practices continue,
because the marketing reps know they're not going to be penalized in any way! Are these guys paid on any warm body
that comes through the doors? The only ones making any money at this resort are the OPCs, and the poor slob who
needs his $50 for gas money to get home! Get some real leadership in here Starwood! I, for one, am tired of looking
each day at the hollow faces of these completely demoralized reps, both experienced and new, and listening each
day as these two... try their best to put a positive spin on this sinking ship!"
- July 29: --" SBP
once was the best place to work on the
beach but those days are over and they will never be the same again. ... Maybe Rip and Jeff should take a look
at their upper management team. How does a property go from generating 30 million dollars a year down to below
15 million dollars? Not only is the sales team looking for greener pastures but the marketing team is as well."
- July 30: --" Please
don't think everything is so " rosy" at this overrated resort (B& C's South Beach) in Myrtle Beach. So far it has appeared to be the 'angel' of the
Grand Strand. In my very short-lived career there, a place I had high hopes for... I found the same sh-- going
on as all the griping about Sheraton, FAVORITISM & BAD tours. They promise you that they have the best tours
in town because they own all the marketing locations so you quit what you're doing and go to work for good ole
SBR. Then they give you all the CRAP tours 'cause your new, and you find you get nothing but broke telemarketing
tours of people who are paying only $40 to stay for 3 days. Now if you are one of the lucky who 'used' to work
at Sheraton with Linda Nuccitelli, then you get all the attention and given the good hi-paying tours that are spending
170.00 a night. Or if you're one of her group presenter boys, they make sure the best tours go to them. So when
you're not selling (& you were a top rep at the other resorts you worked at) they make you think it's all your
fault that you can't sell the broke tours THEY bring in, and give you until next Friday to get your numbers up.
...
New reps and old reps at SBR are all upset and talking about the goings on, and all the false promises they've
been made. If you're lucky enough to get invited out on her new boat, then you're part of the inner circle that
gets all the B& C job promotions, group presenters, or good tours. Is Mr. Mike Cousins or CEO Doug Wendell aware
of any of this? Do they even care how the rest of their non-popular staff feels????????????
Wake up Mr. Cousins, you've got a lot of unhappy reps wanting to leave because of their frustration with all the
favoritism. But how can they complain about the 3 managers to the 3 managers themselves? Open your eyes and look
at the sales numbers. Why are 7 reps making all the money, and the rest of them are struggling?"
- AND: --" I
really have to respond to this last
persons comments, and I hope this gets printed. As someone who has worked very closely, and I mean closely, with
both of these management teams, I am sickened by this last person's comments. This person is obviously some inadequate
sales rep at Sheraton, or whever they might now work, who probably always makes excuses as to why everybody else
is selling and they are not. I will tell you the mgmt team at BandC, are some of the most honest and ethical people
I ever had the pleasure of working with. Which is the complete opposite of those at Sheraton. So what if Ms Nucc
surrounds herself with quality people, she is a good judge of character. So what if she recognizes talent and gives
people with group experience groups. I cannot believe this obviously jealous, that they do not get enough attention,
writer would have the audacity to even bring BnC into this Sheraton discussion. Sounds to me like someone at Sheraton
is grasping at straws to take the attention off the inadequacy at Sheraton, by bringing BnC into the picture. Is
it you Kroos? Or possibly one of the other two stooges?"
- AND: --" While
it is possible to believe that reps
could be unhappy at Sheraton, I think it's obvious that another source of this thread could be former Sheraton/Vistana
reps, currently working at other resorts, who would be all too happy to return to SBP under their desired change
in management staff (knowing full well the current staff would never let them return.) And having been a part of
the SBP track for several years, thing are indeed different. For instance. UP - Company Integrity, DOWN - Tour
flow (although sales volume is on par with last year), UP - Number of current owner reupping (must have some reflection
on the product). DOWN - Number of reps with felony drug convictions (Down to zero actually, from a suspected one
time high of three), DOWN - Number of reps who have selective memory of a felony drug convictions (Down to zero
from a suspected high of one), also down are the number of managers banging managers, managers banging reps, and
reps banging managers' daughters. What I guess I'm trying to say is that while this business for years has had
its inhouse versus line reps feuds, marketing vs. sales feuds, and quantity vs. quality when it comes to marketing,
it's always had starving reps (due mostly to the ineffectiveness of the reps,) - BUT - it's a nice change to have
a management staff with some integrity and not so much worried about who to hook up with and where to get a " fix" for the afterparty."
- AND: --" Is
that you Marion? You are just too good
to those managers at Sheraton!"
ALSO in SC: Regarding the conversation in last week's
Street Talk about SC's revised timeshare laws: --" Please
Speak! What can any state do to help
salespeople stay on the straight and narrow path?
It has been my experience that few licenses were denied for small time criminal offenses. Most were very either
sad or stupid stories who deserved a chance. Most never crossed over the line again. Most of the time, they washed
out of the system for the same reasons so many others leave the industry.
The biggest corruptive force in time share is simply a five letter word. It's greed and no one is immune and no
one has yet found a way to purge that the from the human soul. It can only be contained by on-hand, eyeball to
eyeball management. The second most corruptive force is the manager who has been promoted because he knows and
uses all the tricks. This manager should be diagnosed early and fired by his seniors if the resort is to retain
its integrity. It's the rotten apple in the barrel story and not a licensing issue.
The Resort is both the source of good and evil. One day Wayne Kinser, then owner of the real Peppertree Resorts
and one of the best time share developers that I have known, asked me why we didn't take more licenses away to
protect the DEVELOPERS. My answer was " Wayne, it will be when you turn the first salesperson in." There
is no excuse for a developer not to know everything up and down the line of his resort. That's why we have made
and continue to make the developer the responsible party. When we start shutting down a resort because their broker
is gone, then they won't be able to justify to their shareholders and lenders that it was caused by a long-gone
salesman. Developers must take the responsibility themselves. I know from experience that the three industry giants
hire carefully and manage their employees closely including treating them very well. These practices have almost
completely prevented consumer complaints at their resorts. Anyone listening to this helpful hint here?"
- YOUR COMMENTS
- July 26: --" Is
the comment about developers being more
responsible in their hiring practices a sincere thought? Most developers don't have a clue who is available or
not available to be hired. The same goes with managers. Unfortunately, the more positive experience you have and
the more conscientious you are the less likely you are to be hired!
Without licensing being required, only negative
issues will arise and only after the damage has been done. Was the thought behind the legislation to purposely
allow these entities to shoot themselves in the foot - because they will?! Doesn't the state benefit from the money
paid for new licensees? Who benefits directly from not requiring salesmen to be licensed? (Definitely not the consumer).
The issue of rescission is important to the
manner in which a buyer can cancel - for his own protection. Certified mail, return receipt requested protects
the consumer, why take that away?
Why not establish fines for infractions for
developers/brokers? In this regard they both pay for infractions, are aware of the problem and the developer is
much less likely to pass the buck to the broker. If the fines are stiff enough they will pay attention and it will
force them to " police their own house" ."
- July 28: --" Suggestions,
is that what you want? OK. How about
a real regulation that requires a failure to comply with a punishment directed at the perpetrator of the violation.
A license to practice is more than a diploma, much more. It conveys to the public that there are minimum standards
of knowledge, ethics, and conduct which must be demonstrated and adhered to as a prerequisite to being recognized
as worthy to participate in a complicated, legally binding transaction with the public. It extends legitimacy.
Issuance of a license permits the license holder to engage in an income producing activity, subject to the maintenance
of minimum standards. The regulating authority has the power to revoke, suspend, or demerit the license holder.
No license in good standing, no job.
I am beyond tact at the bs of the commission that authored this outcome for the State of South Carolina. Of course
developers and marketing companies would rather not have to deal with the recruitment and retention of professionals
whose ability to work is based upon enforceable standards of conduct and knowledge. Any warm body will do, and
it's so convenient.
Despite Mr. Kitts' view of the role of a legislative commission, its primary objective is not to keep everyone
smiling, shaking hands and applauding the spirit of compromise. It's crafting legislation. Committees are created
to diffuse conflict, and make recommendations. Commissions are chartered with the authority to rule on statutes,
and approve or deny applications to it. In proposing an ordinance to the State Legislature, by authority granted
to it by the Legislature, the resulting law can be approved, without discussion, by the legislature. To tell the
legislative body what it wants to hear is an abdication of the commission's responsibility. Tell them, via the
proposed ordinance, what is recommended in the best interest of the public good, and let them discuss it, openly,
and for the record. Let everyone then count the votes.
With all due respect, it appears to me that this process, however couched, is a whitewash of bad legislation. When
all is said and done, South Carolina has passed legislation in the 21 st century, approving the sale of real estate
to the public, without the minimum safeguards or regulatory requirements necessary to pull a home improvement permit
elsewhere. The rest of it is so much smoke to disguise that glaring fact. Shame on South Carolina."
- AND: --" Certified
Mail Return Receipt Requested is the
preferred method of cancellation and remains in the contract language as always right above where the purchaser
must sign. Sec 27-32-40"
- July 30: --" Requiring
developers to hire qualified Licensed
Brokers as as top management, rather than someone willing to lose their license because they ceased being active
long ago, would be the single most important change to occur in the business in the last 50 years. As long as Project
Directors and Sales Managers don't have their license on the line, agents and TO's will continue misrepresenting
the product and buyers will continue to cancel at extraordinary high percentages."
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
WISCONSIN:
GREEN LAKE: Taking a cue from Internet buying service Priceline.com, the Heidel
House at Green Lake has been running newspaper ads since May inviting travelers to " name your rate" and promising that " all reasonable offers will be accepted." The safeguard is, of course, that the word
" reasonable" is totally dependent on Heidel House's interpretation. Heidel House is an RCI affiliated
resort.
LAKE GENEVA: Marcus Corporation has sold out the first 30 units (in three
buildings) of their Marcus Vacation Club at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, and
recently completed construction on an additional 32 units that are now being marketed to prospective purchasers.
When will they open another Vacation Club somewhere else?
- YOUR COMMENTS
- July 25: --" How
Wonderful for Marcus Corp. the real
problem is that they had sold out of those 30 units some year ago as was told to the salespersons, and they were
selling the new building for a late 2003 occupancy. Of course the PD and DOS knows all too well they have some
flame throwers there, not just HEAT, but flame throwers....so do you wanna but a watch, used cars... hmmm go to
Marcus in lake Geneva and find out."
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
|
| Rumors Rumors Who's Got the Rumors? |
- Is there any truth to the rumor that Brad Foote, former DOS for Quintus
Resorts at their lovely Hanalei Bay resort in Kauai, has been fired? What was it this time?
- YOUR COMMENTS
- July 25: --" He
is alive and well as the NEW PD of Sheraton
Vistana Villages in Orlando, that makes Sean Harris step down to Trainer. The good old Broderick boys just keep
getting recycled."
- AND: --" The
spelling is Sean Harrison not Harris.
By the way, Sean is a great trainer, doing what he likes to do! Starwood should be grateful to have him!"
- AND: --" Sean
Harrison has a new title which is “East
Caribbean Regional Director of Training” for Starwood. He is responsible for training for nine locations including
St. John & Atlantis. It doesn’t sound like he has “stepped down” it looks like he’s stepping up to me! He
comes from great lineage, being the son of the always popular, Kent B. Harrison, Senior Sales Manager at the Starwood
Westin Mission Hills property located in Rancho Mirage, CA.. As to Brad Foote being the “New PD”: Bill Ford is
the Senior PD, Bob Richie is the PD, & Mike Shutt is the DOS." From The Street: So, where is Brad?
- July 26: --" If
you are going to gossip get it right,
Brad is working on the line for Shell Vacations at the Kona Coast Resort on-site sales office on the Big Island.
As for what he did, let us just say three strikes and you're out, sooooooo if you're cute and wear skirts beware."
- July 27 (from
the horse's mouth): --" Mr. Foote resigned Quintus Resorts and left to finish construction on real estate developments in Nevada and the
Big Island. He is currently vacationing at his home in Lake Tahoe. The girl in the skirt is now in a bikini on
his boat. He is proud to have hired and trained so many people and helped so many make a lot of money but he too
needs a break."
- July 28: --" Nice
try Brad."
- AND: --" I
give up on the BEAT!!!!!! You have put
yourself in a position where you could actually do something positive to help this industry. A lot of us hoped
that through you we might be able to clean up this industry a little bit. But it has become obvious that with time
you become less and less effective or even caring. You obviously prefer to align yourself with any developer or
person (with a title) that might benefit you financially by advertising on the BEAT, either now or in the future.
I have taken you off my favorites list, stop sending me the SHADOW, which is barely worth reading these days.
The last bit on Mr. Foote did it. You are nothing more then a TIMESHARE GROUPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not to worry , I will
not be contacting you ever again."
- Is there any truth to the rumor that Polo Towers' homeowners association
would have to come up with $7 million to bring it up to Marriott's standards and get the Marriott name on
the property? Do they want the Marriott name? Has the question even come up?
- Is there any truth to the rumor that Marriott is setting up a buy-back
program? Wonder how resale companies will like that...
- Is there any truth to the rumor that the Federal Trade Commission is
looking into Travel More Now (a vacation club company with a shaky reputation) as a result of complaints
by many members of AARP? When questioned, the owner (JK) reportedly told AARP that it is " None of their
business." Could this be the downfall for a Branson Travel Club tycoon?
- YOUR COMMENTS
- July 28: --" I
got the article " mysteriously" faxed to my office!! It is in the AARP magazine as a " SCAM ALERT" written by Carole Fleck. I think it
is GREAT! Travel More Now has harmed many people, including owners AND employees. They only care about themselves
and the money they make. To see them drive around town in their BMW's while everyone else works on making a DECENT
living makes me sick!"
- July 29: --" There
are a lot more rumors about TMN and
the way they do business and if you investigate deep enough you will find most of it is true. They are currently
involved in several court cases, and many unhappy members are gathering for a possible class action suit. They
are trying to blame all of their business problems on a so called " disgruntled ex-employee" or several
ex-employees who I understand have come forth to offer the truth about the way they were treated as employees and
how the business handles it members."
- AND: --" TSN,
TMN- What do they have in common? James
Kilroy is the answer. James Kilroy was involved in TSN before TMN check it out you will find out it's true."
- July 30: --" I
am SO HAPPY to see that the truth on
this ...company is finally coming out! ...I would love to hear from anyone else out there who has been unlucky
enough to do business with this company. Please feel free to e-mail me at terduff@msn.com or tduffin@co.boulder.co.us.
COUNT ME IN ON ANY LITIGATION AGAINST THIS"
- AND: --" I
am one of the unfortunate people taken
in by TMN by promises of handicap facilities for a family member. I am so glad the truth is coming out and that
a group like AARP is alerting seniors. I am most upset by the security, trust and fear of travel clubs, timeshare,
etc. this experience has instilled in my family. That is priceless and I feel robbed as well as defrauded."
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
|
| Quotable quotes: " If you lose dollars for the firm, I will be understanding. If you lose reputation
for the firm, I will be ruthless." —Warren Buffet |
| International: |
MEXICO: The on-again off-again Laguna del Mar project at Puerto Penasco
is, yes, on again.
MALAYSIA: The Berjaya Times Square Suites & Convention Center will
have its soft opening on Oct 3. Berjaya Vacation Club has purchased 338 units in the building.
SCOTLAND: Tony MacDonald is back, and he wants your money.
READ MORE in Street Talk International (Last Updated
July 25) |
| Idle Thoughts: |
- Y'all know what TUG is? Some of you do, and all of you should. This is The
Timeshare Users Group, an akamai bunch of timeshare owners who share their considerable knowledge and advice
on a Web site that's been around since Noah was a pup. Among other things, they maintain a rating system for timeshare
resorts and we received the following message regarding this (we have not checked this info out independently):
--" Here is some timeshare marketplace
trivia for you. Welk San Diego (Escondido)
is among the " Top 30" Resorts, worldwide, as ranked by TUG (Timeshare Users Group) Now, this is the rarefied
air. The top one half of one percent. Numerous quantifiable measures of quality are uniformly applied to the ranking
of each resort. Maximum value is 10. Welk is ranked # 21 worldwide, with an overall score average of 9.31, immediately
after # 20, Marriott's Maui Ocean Club (9.33) and just ahead of # 22, Marriott Desert Springs Villas (9.27). More
interesting, in the resale marketplace, Marriott Maui, two bedroom Red Season, is selling at about $35,000, and
Desert Springs is re-selling for about $15,000. But Welk is routinely priced for resale at $5-6000! You may just
be looking at what could arguably be defined as, the # 1 timeshare value in the resale market today.
" Oh, by the way, # 1 ranked timeshare resort,
worldwide, with an overall score of 9.9 is Four Seasons, Aviara - Carlsbad, California."
- YOUR COMMENTS:
- July 26:
--" All this tells me is that TUG and their rating system should be looked
at with questioning eyes! Four Seasons Aviara is a lovely facility, but rated #1 worldwide? PLEASE!!! North County
San Diego without an ocean view, in itself takes Aviara out of the running! I think a better source would be Interval
International. I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years no one ever told me that their dream vacation was North
County San Diego. With respect to Welk, I can’t imagine that Escondido is anything but one of the last locations
of choice for San Diego County, unless the people are from outside of the area, without a map, and have chosen
it strictly for the name and bubbles!"
- July 27: --" Here
is a link to their rating summary.
http://www.timeshare-users-group.com/tugdb/rank/ranking.html#4 . Of some real interest is the column indicating standard
deviation. The lower the number, the more consistent the reviews. Example - a resort with an overall rating of
9.1 and a deviation of .85 indicates that some reviewers had large variances in their category ratings compared
to others, but overall, were still rated strong enough to be placed where the numbers averaged. Conversely, a resort
like Aviara, with an overall of 9.9 has a deviation of only .20 (every rater saw everything much the same). That's
what one would expect if the overall was that high.
I'm usually suspect of ratings sheets, however, I can't find real fault with this approach. By requiring that there
be a minimum number of reviews for a resort to qualify for inclusion, the extreme experiences are smooth in the
averaging. Beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder, but this is not pretending to identify the best locations,
destinations, etc. Merely the best resorts, compared one against the other, on quality and consistency of observable
and measurable components. It is a valuable and interesting measure when viewed in that context."
- AND: --" I
had to respond to the person that was
taking shots at the TUG (Timeshare User Group) website. From time to time TUG does stray a bit from what industry
insiders would view as accurate information but that is because much of what is written there is user opinion.
However, having owned timeshare since 1979 and worked in the industry, I find this site to be one of the most valuable
and straight forward in what it tries to accomplish. You need to remember that most of the people that use this
site are new to timeshare ownership. I do not know of any other site that can educate new owners better. The Resort
Reviews and Classifieds sections are especially helpfull. I have sold two of my weeks through the Classifieds section,
saving over $4,000 in resale commissions. I do agree that the Welk Resort ia a real " push" to make Top
20 but most people can read the resort reviews and decide what is average, good, great, etc. That is the real value
of this site."
- What do you think? Will Starwood take over Intrawest's Palm Desert location
and build a W Hotel and Residences next to it? Just an idle thought...
- YOUR COMMENTS
- July 26: --" Oh
ya! that's perfect now, especially if
they can negotiate to get the valuable talent that was left when Intrawest went south, might be hard since Jude
Carrillo the VP of sales was offered the part of Yoda in the new Star Trek movie and the last DOS Greg Todd is
enjoying interviewing to see who would actually hire a guy that ran a project with a 4% net close. I know it's
rare but my experience shows those are the guys you see right back at the top."
- Just wondering if Resort Condos (http://resortcondos.com/) has permission from
Marriott, Trendwest, Interval International and RCI to display their logos on this Web site? Resort Condos
makes some extravagant claims, but we couldn't find the name of anyone in the company. We happened across the site
while looking for information about Travel More Now (see the Rumors section) this seems to be TMN's main
advertising place. Whose deal is this? Who knows more about them?
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
|
| People on the Move: |
- Congratulations to Anne Gorman, who has moved from Kingscreek in Williamsburg
VA. to Virginia Beach as a Director of In-House Sales for Ocean Key, Ocean Sands, and Atrium.
We wish her the best.
- Beth Carmody recently accepted an executive marketing position with Westgate
Resorts in Williamsburg, Va. Beth was formerly with Fairfield Resorts in Williamsburg. She has 15 years
of marketing and sales experience and will be a key player in the opening of Westgate's newest property, located
just minutes from the historic area of Colonial Williamsburg.
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