Blue Ridge Village, Banner Elk, NC, no longer Festiva. Got an email today:

[rickandcindy23]

As of September 1, 2017, Festiva Development Group has sold the development rights, management and the resort property of Blue Ridge Village to Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited, Inc. As a result, Patton Hospitality Management (PHM) will no longer be the property management company for the resort. As the management transitions, you will be hearing from Bluegreen directly regarding updated contact information for owner services and other aspects of your ownership. It has been a pleasure serving owners and guests at Blue Ridge Village over the last 10 years, and we are certain that Bluegreen's experience and expertise in the industry will ensure a smooth transition and positive future for the property and all of its owners and staff. We wish you many happy vacations at Blue Ridge Village or anywhere you choose travel in the years to come.

Patton Hospitality Member Services

 

[Panina]

As of September 1, 2017, Festiva Development Group has sold the development rights, management and the resort property of Blue Ridge Village to Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited, Inc. As a result, Patton Hospitality Management (PHM) will no longer be the property management company for the resort. As the management transitions, you will be hearing from Bluegreen directly regarding updated contact information for owner services and other aspects of your ownership. It has been a pleasure serving owners and guests at Blue Ridge Village over the last 10 years, and we are certain that Bluegreen's experience and expertise in the industry will ensure a smooth transition and positive future for the property and all of its owners and staff. We wish you many happy vacations at Blue Ridge Village or anywheree going t you choose travel in the years to come.

Patton Hospitality Member Services

I love going to blue ridge and didn't purchase because it was Festiva and I didn't like that organization. Wonder how bluegreen is, now have to research. Lots of questions.

Wonder what will happen to Festiva buyer who purchased points. Were they just points to use at any Festiva resort? Or tied to a week at blue ridge? The fixed weeks are probably an easy transition.

Is this the only property that Festiva sold?

 

[nuwermj]

I'm a member of the Bluegreen vacation club. What questions do you have? I think Bluegreen members are generally pleased with the way Bluegreen manages its resorts.

Are you a deeded owners at Blue Ridge Village? Does the Festiva Vacation Club (the Adventure Club) own intervals at the resort? Is it a trust fund based point system?

I'm wondering how much inventory Bluegreen gets in this transaction. Bluegreen puts inventory into a trust fund and then sells points against a pool of deeds. So, unsold inventory is what Bluegreen needs.

Bluegreen may also target deeded owners to trade their deeds for points in the Bluegreen Vacation Club. But there has been no information from Bluegreen's side.

 

[Panina]

I'm a member of the Bluegreen vacation club. What questions do you have? I think Bluegreen members are generally pleased with the way Bluegreen manages its resorts.

Are you a deeded owners at Blue Ridge Village? Does the Festiva Vacation Club (the Adventure Club) own intervals at the resort? Is it a trust fund based point system?

I'm wondering how much inventory Bluegreen gets in this transaction. Bluegreen puts inventory into a trust fund and then sells points against a pool of deeds. So, unsold inventory is what Bluegreen needs.

Bluegreen may also target deeded owners to trade their deeds for points in the Bluegreen Vacation Club. But there has been no information from Bluegreen's side.

I own nothing yet at blue ridge village but would like to, so do not know much how Festiva worked. With Festiva out, now a possibility I will pursue to own at blue ridge.

So to make sure I understand you right, my questions
If you purchase from bluegreen is it a pure point program? Or do you purchase an week that you can claim to use within a certain period and if you don't use it, it goes into inventory?

Do you know what benefits you lose by buying resale?

I tried searching the Internet and found nothing about blue ridge becoming part of bluegreen. Maybe will try making some calls after the holiday to see if I can find out more.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We do own a week 23 in a 2 bedroom older unit. I was able to get mine free on eBay. The fees for the 2 bedrooms (supposedly sleep up to 7) is only about $720. Not bad fees, and I hope they don't increase with Bluegreen.

 

[Panina]

We do own a week 23 in a 2 bedroom older unit. I was able to get mine free on eBay. The fees for the 2 bedrooms (supposedly sleep up to 7) is only about $720. Not bad fees, and I hope they don't increase with Bluegreen.

Week 23 is a beautiful time to go. We will be looking to acquire weeks between 20-23 and 41-42 if we pursue. We already traded into blue ridge two weeks in 2018 during these weeks. We are only a couple of hour drive to there.

When you say older unit, didn't they renovate? The unit I stayed in felt more mountain rustic then older.

 

[CharlesS]

I own nothing yet at blue ridge village but would like to, so do not know much how Festiva worked. With Festiva out, now a possibility I will pursue to own at blue ridge.

So to make sure I understand you right, my questions
If you purchase from bluegreen is it a pure point program? Or do you purchase an week that you can claim to use within a certain period and if you don't use it, it goes into inventory?

Do you know what benefits you lose by buying resale?

I tried searching the Internet and found nothing about blue ridge becoming part of bluegreen. Maybe will try making some calls after the holiday to see if I can find out more.

If you purchase from Bluegreen, the purchase will be a points purchase in the BG Vacation Club (BGVC). If the deed backing up your points (The BGVC Trust owns the actual deed) is at Blue Ridge Village, you can claim your unit/week 11-13 months out. At exactly 11 months out, all of us in BGVC have access to that unit/week.

If you buy resale, the only real benefit you lose is that you can only use Bonus Time at Blue Ridge. CAUTION: If you buy resale right now, your purchase will be either a fixed or flex/float week that is NOT in the BGVC or it will be a points week in the Festiva Club and NOT in the BGVC. The only way you can get a guaranteed Blue Ridge BGVC unit/week resale is when someone buys directly from BG and later sells it. That may take several years.

We don't know if BG acquired any inventory on September 1. If they did, it will not go into the BGVC inventory until someone buys a unit/week directly from BG. And that may be happening even as we speak if BG has geared up to start selling September 1. However, if Corporate BG did acquire some inventory as of September 1, they "might" give BGVC owners access to it and do an internal trade for some other unit/week. If Corporate BG did not acquire any inventory, they will simply act as a real estate agent for whomever holds the unsold inventory. We should also remember as one other poster commented, BG will be working on holders of deeds to fixed or flex/float unit/weeks to convert to BG Points and working on Festiva owners to convert to BG Points. All for a price, of course.

If you really want to be in the BG program (I am and am happy with it) and you want to be guaranteed that you can get in to Blue Ridge, when you purchase make doubly sure that your points are backed up by a Blue Ridge deed. You could conceivably buy at the Blue Ridge location and get your points backed up by a resort in Las Vegas or the Bahamas or Florida, etc. if you are not paying attention. The sales people might say that they aren't set up to sell Blue Ridge inventory yet but that you can always get in. Yes, but some 160,000+ other members might also be trying to get in. If your heart is set on Blue Ridge most of the time (but occasionally the Florida Keys some years and Arizona other years with no exchange fee), be sure your points are backed up by a Blue Ridge deed. And if you want it for skiing, make sure the unit/week isn't in the summer. (Of course you could buy a fixed or flex/float ski week and then trade it in to BG and get BG points for it.)

Finally, current owners of whatever at Blue Ridge will continue to operate as they did in the past except the employees they see at the resort will be BG employees and not Festiva employees (even though they may be the same person).

Charles

 

[Panina]

If you purchase from Bluegreen, the purchase will be a points purchase in the BG Vacation Club (BGVC). If the deed backing up your points (The BGVC Trust owns the actual deed) is at Blue Ridge Village, you can claim your unit/week 11-13 months out. At exactly 11 months out, all of us in BGVC have access to that unit/week.

If you buy resale, the only real benefit you lose is that you can only use Bonus Time at Blue Ridge. CAUTION: If you buy resale right now, your purchase will be either a fixed or flex/float week that is NOT in the BGVC or it will be a points week in the Festiva Club and NOT in the BGVC. The only way you can get a guaranteed Blue Ridge BGVC unit/week resale is when someone buys directly from BG and later sells it. That may take several years.

We don't know if BG acquired any inventory on September 1. If they did, it will not go into the BGVC inventory until someone buys a unit/week directly from BG. And that may be happening even as we speak if BG has geared up to start selling September 1. However, if Corporate BG did acquire some inventory as of September 1, they "might" give BGVC owners access to it and do an internal trade for some other unit/week. If Corporate BG did not acquire any inventory, they will simply act as a real estate agent for whomever holds the unsold inventory. We should also remember as one other poster commented, BG will be working on holders of deeds to fixed or flex/float unit/weeks to convert to BG Points and working on Festiva owners to convert to BG Points. All for a price, of course.

If you really want to be in the BG program (I am and am happy with it) and you want to be guaranteed that you can get in to Blue Ridge, when you purchase make doubly sure that your points are backed up by a Blue Ridge deed. You could conceivably buy at the Blue Ridge location and get your points backed up by a resort in Las Vegas or the Bahamas or Florida, etc. if you are not paying attention. The sales people might say that they aren't set up to sell Blue Ridge inventory yet but that you can always get in. Yes, but some 160,000+ other members might also be trying to get in. If your heart is set on Blue Ridge most of the time (but occasionally the Florida Keys some years and Arizona other years with no exchange fee), be sure your points are backed up by a Blue Ridge deed. And if you want it for skiing, make sure the unit/week isn't in the summer. (Of course you could buy a fixed or flex/float ski week and then trade it in to BG and get BG points for it.)

Finally, current owners of whatever at Blue Ridge will continue to operate as they did in the past except the employees they see at the resort will be BG employees and not Festiva employees (even though they may be the same person).

Charles

Thank you for all the information, very informative.

Out of curiousity, the Festiva owners, do they stay as part of Festiva? If yes, does that means their underlining weeks stay within the Festiva system?

 

[nuwermj]

Out of curiousity, the Festiva owners, do they stay as part of Festiva? If yes, does that means their underlining weeks stay within the Festiva system?

Yes, and Maybe. There are two types of owners with access to this resort. First, traditional deeded owner; second members of the Festiva Adventure Club. Individual deeded owners will continue to own their deed and will continue to be members of the resort's HOA. In the case of the Club, it owns the deeds and these are held in a trust fund. Club members own only a right to use the accommodations owned by the club. Their ownership is not tied to any specific resort or deed. We don't know what Festiva is planning to do with the deeded weeks in the Club's trust fund. They might keep them for club members to use--same as before. Bluegreen and its members would not have access to those specific weeks. Or, Festiva might be able to withdraw deeds from the trust fund and sell them to Bluegreen. Festiva would then replace the Blue Ridge Village deeds in the trust fund with deeds for elsewhere. I have seen examples of both types of transactions in the timeshare business. In this case, we don't know what is planned.

 

[pedro47]

Will the resort still exchange with both RCI and II ?

 

[nuwermj]

Will the resort still exchange with both RCI and II ?

The Bluegreen Vacation Club is affiliated with RCI. But there are many Bluegreen-managed resorts in the II catalog. I don't know for sure, but I always thought the II exchanges were made by the deeded owners.

 

[CharlesS]

Yes, and Maybe. There are two types of owners with access to this resort. First, traditional deeded owner; second members of the Festiva Adventure Club. Individual deeded owners will continue to own their deed and will continue to be members of the resort's HOA. In the case of the Club, it owns the deeds and these are held in a trust fund. Club members own only a right to use the accommodations owned by the club. Their ownership is not tied to any specific resort or deed. We don't know what Festiva is planning to do with the deeded weeks in the Club's trust fund. They might keep them for club members to use--same as before. Bluegreen and its members would not have access to those specific weeks. Or, Festiva might be able to withdraw deeds from the trust fund and sell them to Bluegreen. Festiva would then replace the Blue Ridge Village deeds in the trust fund with deeds for elsewhere. I have seen examples of both types of transactions in the timeshare business. In this case, we don't know what is planned.

Do I understand correctly that Festiva owners have their points just in the club and not tied to any specific unit/week? If so then I could see how blue green could exchange one/unit week for another for the Festiva owner and sell the week to Bluegreen. It will be interesting to see how this all works out.

Charles

 

[nuwermj]

Do I understand correctly that Festiva owners have their points just in the club and not tied to any specific unit/week?

Yes, Inventory in the Festiva Adventure Club is held in a trust fund for members' use.

 

[CharlesS]

Yes, Inventory in the Festiva Adventure Club is held in a trust fund for members' use.

Is a particular unit/week in the Trust specifically linked back to a specific owner?

 

[nuwermj]

Is a particular unit/week in the Trust specifically linked back to a specific owner?

No, as far as I know Bluegreen is the only trust-fund-based point system that maintains a specific link between deeds and the points' owner. Marriott's Destination Club, Welk's Platinum points, Diamond Resorts' "Collections", Vistana's FlexOptions, Wyndham Access points, The new Hyatt Points Club, Worldmark, Club Intrawest/Embarc, Raintree Vacation Club, and Festiva's Adventure Club--all maintain no linkage; owners/member do not have a direct relationship to a specific deed.

 

[Panina]

Yes, and Maybe. There are two types of owners with access to this resort. First, traditional deeded owner; second members of the Festiva Adventure Club. Individual deeded owners will continue to own their deed and will continue to be members of the resort's HOA. In the case of the Club, it owns the deeds and these are held in a trust fund. Club members own only a right to use the accommodations owned by the club. Their ownership is not tied to any specific resort or deed. We don't know what Festiva is planning to do with the deeded weeks in the Club's trust fund. They might keep them for club members to use--same as before. Bluegreen and its members would not have access to those specific weeks. Or, Festiva might be able to withdraw deeds from the trust fund and sell them to Bluegreen. Festiva would then replace the Blue Ridge Village deeds in the trust fund with deeds for elsewhere. I have seen examples of both types of transactions in the timeshare business. In this case, we don't know what is planned.

So if someone bought into the Festiva club because they loved blue ridge village, they ultimately can get screwed?...limited units available and worse case none where they want to go.

 

[nuwermj]

So if someone bought into the Festiva club because they loved blue ridge village, they ultimately can get screwed?...limited units available and worse case none where they want to go.

I think the general rule-of-thumb is: If you want to visit the same timeshare resort every year, buy a fixed or floating week, not points. All point systems (except, perhaps, Bluegreen) suffer from the possible lack of availability at a favored location.

 

[DanZale2000]

Do I understand correctly that Festiva owners have their points just in the club and not tied to any specific unit/week? If so then I could see how blue green could exchange one/unit week for another for the Festiva owner and sell the week to Bluegreen. It will be interesting to see how this all works out.

I talked with a Festiva Club member. She said they've been informed about this sale, and Festiva members can book it for 3 more years.

 

[Panina]

I talked with a Festiva Club member. She said they've been informed about this sale, and Festiva members can book it for 3 more years.

That says it all. Feel bad for owners who purchased with Festiva to use Blue Ridge Village.

 

[nuwermj]

I talked with a Festiva Club member. She said they've been informed about this sale, and Festiva members can book it for 3 more years.

This is probably the notification the Festiva member received:

September 5, 2017 Festiva Communications
http://blog.festiva.com/2017/09/an-update-about-blue-ridge-village-in-banner-elk-nc/

As of September 1, 2017, Festiva Development Group sold the development rights, management and the resort property of Blue Ridge Village (BRV) to Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited, Inc.

However, Festiva Adventure Club members will still be able to vacation in Beautiful Banner Elk. Over the next three years, reservations will still be available at Blue Ridge Village using FAC points. Additionally, options for exchange through RTX may be available for properties in Banner Elk and the surrounding North Carolina High Country.

It has been a pleasure serving owners and guests at Blue Ridge Village over the last 10 years, and we are certain that Bluegreen’s experience and expertise in the industry will ensure a smooth transition and positive future for the property and all of its owners and staff. We wish you many happy vacations at Blue Ridge Village or anywhere you choose travel in the years to come.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I am at Blue Ridge Resort right now. I guess I missed this post when the announcement was made. The signage outside still has a big Festiva as does the sales building. However keys and paperwork are now all Bluegreen.

Any questions I can ask while I am here.

 

[Panina]

I am at Blue Ridge Resort right now. I guess I missed this post when the announcement was made. The signage outside still has a big Festiva as does the sales building. However keys and paperwork are now all Bluegreen.

Any questions I can ask while I am here.

I am here too. I asked the front desk if bluegreen is selling here yet. I was told they won't start until mid next year.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I am here too. I asked the front desk if bluegreen is selling here yet. I was told they won't start until mid next year.

They need to change all the signage first. The sales building and the entry still have large Festiva logos. I has been pretty quiet here this week, I'm in Building 8 and I have only seen one other couple in this building. However the building next door, (not sure the number) seems to have a full parking lot of cars in front of it.

There are two stand alone houses at the top of the hill that are numbered, if there are indeed 3 br house that would be great. I think I will have to ask the front desk.

 

[Panina]

They need to change all the signage first. The sales building and the entry still have large Festiva logos. I has been pretty quiet here this week, I'm in Building 8 and I have only seen one other couple in this building. However the building next door, (not sure the number) seems to have a full parking lot of cars in front of it.

There are two stand alone houses at the top of the hill that are numbered, if there are indeed 3 br house that would be great. I think I will have to ask the front desk.

We are in building 25, we are the only ones on the lower level. No one is over us either. I met another couple who rented here from a vacation club. They said next week to rent was more then double then this week and the following week nothing was available so my guess is next week it will start being more busy for fall foliage.

 

[pedro47]

Have the foliage started to changes colors.