The Phoenix Club

From the ashes...

In January of 2009, High Country Club, once one of the leaders in the destination club industry in terms of growth and members, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after several restructuring plans failed to gain interest from members. 375 High Country Club members were left without a club and clubs such as Ultimate Escapes and Distinctive Holiday Homes made substantial offers to the the former members. All the while the creation of a new club was taking shape that sought to bring the High Country Club members back together under a new brand, the Phoenix Club.

In August of 2009, High Country Club members received a letter from Thomas Quinn, a lawyer representing "a small group of High Country Club members and creditors." The driving force behind this small group would later be identified as Rick Callahan, a former HCC member and investor who, according to Phoenix Club documents, "probably will be the person who stands to lose the most if the HCC bankruptcy results in liquidation."

The Phoenix Club would reorganize High Country Club through its bankruptcy, providing Phoenix members many of the same properties that were available to High Country Club members. Members would not have to pay another membership deposit nor would they be assessed annual dues, but would rather make four weeks of reservations annually within the club, paying a variable weekly rate based on the properties and time period selected. Members would prepay for their reservation 60 days in advance and Phoenix believed that 200 of High Country Club's 375 members would need to join the club for the model to be sustainable.

In a letter sent out in September of 2009, the club stated that they had over 10% of their 200 member goal, with another 10% interested in learning more.

After approximately a year of behind the scenes work, The Phoenix Club would rebrand as Second Home Destinations and formally launch in November of 2010. The model was radically altered, now using a points based reservation system and charging members a 75% refundable membership deposit. While originally planned for High Country Club members, Ultimate Escapes had filed for bankruptcy just weeks prior to Second Home Destinations launch, giving the Second Home Destinations another large base of members to actively recruit.

Following the rebranding as Second Home Destinations, The Phoenix Club name would no longer be used and all communications about the club are done so under the new brand name.

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