Phoenix Club
Annual Dues
Spiraling out of the bankruptcy of High Country Club, "a small group of High Country Club members and creditors" would create The Phoenix Club. In August of 2009, the club's counsel and advocate Thomas F. Quinn would approach the 375 castoff members of High Country Club with their intentions and an outline of the club structure.
"My clients believe that their investment (as well as yours) will be lost, if the bankruptcy of HCC continues on its normal course, and no steps are taken to reorganize and reconstitute the Club. My clients have pledged a substantial sum of money to attempt to bring the Club out of bankruptcy and assume much of the property debt. But before going forward with those efforts, my clients need to know if the existing members of HCC would want to participate as members in the reconstituted Club."
"Our plan for reorganization is based upon making the same properties being available for use by the members at a cost less than the annual membership dues paid by the members in 2008. Our plan does not require existing members to pay any down payment and there are no monthly or annual dues and no hidden fees. However, we might count on four weeks of use from each member. In order to keep your membership, each member will be required to make four one-week reservations and pay 60 days in advance of your trip. If you have to cancel we will refund 90% of your payment if another member books the property. If you decide not to pay 60 days prior to your reservation date we will release the property to other members and there will be no cost to you."
The Phoenix Club would need approximately 200 of High Country Club's former members to make reservations for the club to be "self-sustaining."
As mentioned by Quinn, the club would not charge annual dues, but rather a variable per week rate based on the property selected and the requested weeks of usage.
Each of the club's properties were segmented by date ranges, with higher prices required of more popular travel periods. The dates used for most of the properties are:
- October 3, 2009 - December 19, 2009
- December 19, 2009 - January 2, 2010
- January 2, 2010 - October 2, 2010
- October 2, 2010 - December 18, 2010
- December 18, 2010 - January 1, 2011
Although each property varies in per week costs, traditionally the October 3, 2009 to December 19, 2009 travel schedule would be the least expensive travel times, ranging between $500 and $1,400 weekly. Members wishing to travel from December 18, 2010 through January 1, 2001 would typically pay the most, ranging between $2,700 and $4,000 per week.
In September of 2009, The Phoenix Club announced that they had "received reservations from 24 prior members, expressions of interest from another 20 or so, and declines from 6," leaving the vast majority of High Country Club members yet to weigh in.
This type of destination club structure is best suited for members that do not have previously established schedules and those that do not travel the same number of nights year over year.
To learn more about the various club structures used throughout the industry, request a free copy of our Destination Club Guide.
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