For Traveland U.S.A., a seller of motor homes in Irvine for the past 33 years, the only way to go is up. Upscale that is.
Traveland’s lease for its 36-acre Western-themed facility off the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway is set to expire in fall 2006. The dealership has outgrown its space, which also is outdated, according to general manager David Farwell.
In the works are plans to create a 250-acre “resort,” where people not only could buy and service recreational vehicles but camp in them, too. Plans call for a campground with barbecues, fire pits, outdoor entertainment spots, even hot tubs.
“It would be quite glamorous compared to what we have to work with now,” Farwell said. “An old shoe can only take so much polish.”
Traveland’s current Sand Canyon Avenue spread has a family restaurant and three ponds with fish and ducks. About a dozen dealers rent spots to sell RVs there.
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New home: Traveland is looking for a base for its motor home dealership, page 1 |
Real estate brokers for Traveland have found three potential sites in Orange County for the new dealership. Farwell declined to say where they are.
Because of the big amount of sales tax Traveland generates, cities are courting the dealership. And Irvine doesn’t want to lose it.
Traveland has seen interest from other cities but wants to stay in Irvine, according to Farwell.
“We have a good relationship with the city of Irvine,” he said. “We definitely will remain in OC.”
The Pope family of San Diego owns Traveland. It’s their only RV business, Farewell said.
Traveland is mulling extending its lease one more year while it explores possible spots. Landlord The Irvine Company extended Traveland’s lease three years once already and declined to say whether it would do so again.
“It’s really premature to talk about what might happen,” Irvine Co. spokesman Bill Rams said.
Farwell, who used to be director of retail and services at the former El Toro Marine base, is eyeing property there that Miami-based Lennar Corp. recently bought for $1 billion.
Lennar acquired 3,700 acres at El Toro from the Navy earlier this year. It’s set to build 3,600 homes and develop some of the land for commercial and other uses.
Erik Hansen, senior vice president for Miami-based LNR Property Corp., which spun off from Lennar in 1997 and works with the homebuilder to redevelop former bases, said the only talks for El Toro now are with a cemetery developer.
About 75 acres have been set aside for a cemetery, Hansen said. Lennar and LNR have received letters of interest from several entities, including churches, retailers and schools, he said.
Irvine’s goal is to keep Traveland for itself.
“From an economic standpoint, the city is very interested in keeping Traveland,” said Wally Kreutzen, assistant city manager and chief executive of the Great Park Corp., which is developing the public portion of El Toro. “The city would help in whatever way it can.”
RV dealers are lucrative for California cities, which get about 1 cent of all sales tax dollars generated within their borders.
Traveland has about $300 million in sales a year. RVs sell from $6,000 up to $1.5 million. Traveland employs about 200 people in Irvine.
The dealership wants to stay in Irvine after spending the past three decades advertising its location, Farwell said.
The dealership’s customers know where to find the place, he said. Most buyers come from outside OC, according to Farwell.
RV makers are rolling out larger and plusher models, he said. The industry has done well since the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to Farwell.
But the RV resort business hasn’t kept up, Farwell said.
Traveland’s new spaces for RVs would be much larger, about 50 feet by 70 feet, according to Farwell.
Plans call for stores at the resort selling bikes and camping gear, Farwell said. RV dealers would own their space instead of renting like they do now, he said.
