SBA 7(a) RV Park Feasibility Study in New York

New York ranks second for RV parks, but the class is minor at home

For campgrounds and RV parks New York is the second-busiest state, rank 2, even though the class is just 22 of 39 within New York's own mix, a small class lent at scale in a big state. Thirty-five loans carry $26.7 million. The midpoint of $653,000 is 0.80x the nation's, and the quarters divide at $336,500 and $1.1 million. Franchised loans are 14.3%.

A rural map

The counties are not the metro ones: Livingston has 5 loans, and Essex, Orleans, Otsego and Wayne each have 3, with Saint Lawrence at 2. That points to the Finger Lakes, the Adirondack edge and the northern border rather than the New York City region. The calendar was erratic, with 6 loans in FY2018 and FY2026, none in FY2023 at $0, and 5 loans carrying $5.0 million in FY2024. No lender is listed in the holder table, so none is named here.

One code, many properties

A tent campground, a seasonal park and a year-round resort all fall under the one code that SBA applies to RV parks, resorts and campgrounds, so the figures blend them. New York also lacks cancellation and charge-off percentages, each cohort having fallen under SBA's minimum; the blanks mean only that.

What a New York campground study has to test

Seasonality dominates. In most of upstate New York the season runs from spring to early fall, so the study must show the months of operation, the occupancy by week, and the cash needed to carry the park through winter. Demand comes from drive-time markets, nearby lakes, trails and attractions, and the reservation channels the park relies on. Site count and mix, whether pull-through RV sites, tent sites or cabins, determine the rate and the cost of utility hookups. Cost the roads, electric service, water and septic, which are the major capital items and need state and county permits. Test coverage in a wet summer, since weather decides a season. Many parks are bought as a going concern, so reconcile the price with the seller's records. The appraisal must explain what the land is worth if the park closes.