Ultimate Resort Acquires Ventures Equity Vacation Club

By: Destination Club News
Date: February 22, 2008

Ultimate Resort continues to add properties and members through acquisitions and mergers and has acquired the assets of Ventures Equity Vacation Club. Their third acquisition or merger and acquisition in less than a year, Ultimate Resort brings in six new homes worth approximately $17 million and just under 20 new members.

In May of last year, Ultimate Resort acquired Tanner & Haley and in September announced a merger with Private Escapes. Starting 2007 with under 70 members, the club will have approximately 1,300 members once the Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes merger is finalized, scheduled to take place in April, and further distance themselves from the rest of the pack as the established second largest destination club in the industry.

"We are creating a true global market leader and are very excited to see our destination and property portfolios grow with the addition of six spectacular new homes from the acquisition of the Ventures Equity Vacation Club," said Ultimate Resort Founder Jim Tousignant. "These luxury club properties, with average home values approaching $3 million each, will add to the dozens of choices within Ultimate Resort's ELITE club level, creating one of the industry's strongest high-end club offerings. We are equally excited to welcome the Ventures’ members to our Ultimate Resort ELITE Club as well. The acquisition of the Ventures homes and new members fits well with our expansion plans."

The six properties that will join the Ultimate Resort property portfolio include:

• Key West, Florida
• Indian Rocks Beach, Florida
• New York City, New York
• Beaver Creek, Colorado
• Lake Las Vegas, Nevada
• Scottsdale, Arizona

BVG Inc.'s Ventures Equity launched in July of 2005, using an equity based model with the tagline "You'll vacation like you own the place. Because you do." Due to their equity structure, Ventures Equity was severely limited in the types of marketing and weren't able to grow their destination club as quickly as some of the more established names in the industry.

The two leading destination clubs in the industry have taken two dramatically different growth structures over the past several years. Ultimate Resort has focused on mergers and acquisitions to help grow their club. Exclusive Resorts, the only club that Ultimate Resort trails in terms of members, has steadfastly maintained an organic growth model. Both continue to reap the benefits of success, and it will be interesting to see which of the two growth models wins out as the clubs battle for market supremacy.

If you would like to learn more about all of the leading destination clubs in the industry, request a free copy of our Destination Club Guide.