Camp Margaritaville® Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $4.5M – $58.5M
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Camp Margaritaville is a hospitality franchise operating RV resorts and outdoor lodging themed to the Margaritaville lifestyle. Franchisees own and operate the resorts, managing RV sites, amenities, and guest programming.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® franchise requires a total initial investment of $4.5M – $58.5M and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: 2024 filing · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: high - figures are from a filing two or more years old
Evidence: partial✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored4 of 4 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $4.5M – $58.5M
- 32nd pct Lodging
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 3rd pct Lodging
- Units
- 5
- 17th pct Lodging
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Lodging · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Lodging median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $4.5M – $58.5M, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 51/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +1 franchised outlets in the latest year (1 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Margaritaville RV Resorts, LLC
- Parent company
- Margaritaville Enterprises, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2024 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Margaritaville Holdings LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2024 FDD
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer and President (of parent Margaritaville Enterprises)
- John Cohlan
- Incorporated in
- DE
- HQ
- 6900 Turkey Lake Road, Suite 200, Orlando, Florida 32819
- Auditor
- Ernst & Young LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $92.5M
- vs $74.9M prior year
Independent franchisee associations
- Franchise Advisory Council (FAC)
Franchisee-led councils or alliances disclosed in Item 20. Indicates operator voice.
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 9
2 other brands on this site name Margaritaville Holdings LLC as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2024 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
- CEO
- John Cohlan
- Headquarters
- FL
- Founded
- 2019
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 5
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 254% above the typical lodging franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
The filing does not state an initial franchise fee.
Full Item 7 breakdown23 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application Feenot refundable | $75K | $75K | |
| PIP fee (Property Improvement Plan)not refundable | $0 | $5K | |
| TIP fee (Technology Improvement Plan)not refundable | $0 | $10K | |
| Professional services fees (architect, design, market study, engineering, etc.)not refundable | $100K | $800K | |
| Insurance and Permits, licenses, deposits, and related feesnot refundable | $50K | $150K | |
| Training expenses, vendor and brand trainingnot refundable | $25K | $100K | |
| Construction, improvements, remodeling, and decorating costsnot refundable | $1.0M | $50.0M | |
| Technologynot refundable | $750K | $1.3M | |
| Website Set-Upnot refundable | $9K | $30K | |
| CRS Set-Upnot refundable | $4K | $4K | |
| CRM Set-Upnot refundable | $3K | $3K | |
| Loyalty Program Set-Upnot refundable | $3K | $3K | |
| Furniture, fixtures, other fixed assets, and equipment (FF&E)not refundable | $500K | $3.0M | |
| Operational Supplies and Equipment (OSE)not refundable | $250K | $500K | |
| Exterior signsnot refundable | $300K | $400K | |
| Financial, tax, and legal costsnot refundable | $600K | $750K | |
| Preopening Sales and Marketingnot refundable | $125K | $225K | |
| Photography and Videographynot refundable | $45K | $125K | |
| Medallia Set-Upnot refundable | $3K | $3K | |
| Financial Reporting System Set-Upnot refundable | $10K | $16K | |
| Total initial investment | $4.5M | $58.5M |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $4.5M – $58.5M
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $300K – $500K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- N/A
- Fee not disclosed
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 6.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.5% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $500 |
| Transfer fee | $75K |
| Renewal fee | $30K |
| Inventory (initial) | $250K – $500K |
| Total fee load | 6.5% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 6.5% — below the Lodging median of 8.5%.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
Net unit growth of +150.0% over 3 years (1 opened, 0 closed).
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Lodging medians
How Camp Margaritaville® Compares
Category median of published Lodging brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 5
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +150.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +150.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 0
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 5 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
5
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
1) Boss Investments Ltd. v. Margaritaville of Bahamas LLC et al. (trademark sub-license dispute, settled Dec 2020 with defendants paying 50% of future royalties). 2) Shultz/Koptieff Trusts v. Margaritaville Enterprises et al. (cottage owners fraud/tort claims, settled April 2023 mutual walk-away). 3) CA Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation v. Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts LLC (failure to file franchise exemption notices for 3 CA sales 2019-2020, consent order March 2020, $7,500 penalty).
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Ernst & Young LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Audited consolidated financial statements are those of parent Margaritaville Holdings LLC (audited by Ernst & Young LLP) for years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. The franchisor Margaritaville RV Resorts, LLC reports a total partners' deficit of $(101,014,475); the FDD cover page includes an Item 3 financial-condition risk that the franchisor's financial condition calls into question its ability to provide services and support. Revenue is primarily royalties (resort, restaurant, residential/timeshare, consumer products) plus restaurant/retail merchandise sales.
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 51 / 100 verdict
- 01MEDNo average revenue or net income disclosed — impossible to validate ROI; suggests weak unit economics or reluctance to disclose underperformance
- 02HIGHMultiple active litigation matters including trademark disputes, property/tort claims, and regulatory violations — indicates operational and legal governance issues
- 03MINOROnly 5 total units with 25% YoY growth insufficient to validate system stability — extremely small franchise base makes failure catastrophic
- 04MINORTerritory is unprotected — franchisees face direct competition from other company franchisees with no geographic exclusivity
- 05MEDHigh initial investment ($4.5M+) combined with undisclosed returns creates acute financial risk exposure
- 06MINORRegulatory filing violations in California demonstrate compliance failures at franchisor level
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 6.5% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 20 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | No territory protection |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 1 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 12 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | DE |
| Litigation count | 3 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
1) Boss Investments Ltd. v. Margaritaville of Bahamas LLC et al. (trademark sub-license dispute, settled Dec 2020 with defendants paying 50% of future royalties). 2) Shultz/Koptieff Trusts v. Margaritaville Enterprises et al. (cottage owners fraud/tort claims, settled April 2023 mutual walk-away). 3) CA Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation v. Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts LLC (failure to file franchise exemption notices for 3 CA sales 2019-2020, consent order March 2020, $7,500 penalty).
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 7 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 33 hrs
- Training location
- Franchisor-selected Margaritaville-branded venue (offsite); Resort (onsite task force)
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 18 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee selects; franchisor approves
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- InfoGenesis
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: InfoGenesis
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® franchise?
The total investment to open a CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® franchise ranges from $4.5M – $58.5M. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® franchise owners earn?
CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns CAMP MARGARITAVILLE®?
CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® is franchised by Margaritaville RV Resorts, LLC. Its parent company is Margaritaville Enterprises, LLC. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Margaritaville Holdings LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2024 filing.
What is Item 19 in the CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is CAMP MARGARITAVILLE®'s franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® has 5 total units in the United States, including 5 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates CAMP MARGARITAVILLE® as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 51 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent CAMP MARGARITAVILLE®, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
Other Lodging franchises
Compare similar franchise opportunities in the Lodging category
Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.