What Are the Pros and Cons of Owning a KOA Franchise?

Sources: 2026 KOA FDD, cover; Items 5–7, 17, 19 and 20, pp. 3–15, 31–35 and 35–61.

Each strip separates the disclosed fact from its conditional buyer effect. The same mechanism can support operating clarity while creating cost, control or dependency exposure.

Conversion has the lowest disclosed Item 7 range because the buyer starts with an operating campground, but current KOA standards can still require capital improvements. Buying an existing KOA includes the acquisition price and any required upgrades. New construction receives design consultation and plan review, yet the franchisee remains responsible for land, permitting, financing, construction and code compliance.

Sources: 2026 KOA FDD, Items 7, 10 and 11, pp. 9–15 and 20–27; official KOA new-construction requirements.

The year-end network remained close to 480 total campgrounds across 2023–2025. Franchised outlets moved from 435 to 429 to 432, while company-operated outlets moved from 51 to 51 to 49. This is system-direction evidence, not proof that an individual campground succeeds or fails.

Item 20 reports 20 franchised openings in 2025, alongside seven terminations, five nonrenewals and five outlets that ceased for other reasons. Those categories should not be collapsed into “failures”: a termination, nonrenewal, transfer, reacquisition and sale each describes a different event. Buyers evaluating a location should call current and former franchisees in the same brand position, season and development path.

Source: 2026 KOA FDD, Item 20, Table 3, pp. 54–58.

Section A has unusually high population coverage for 2025 registration-revenue data: 448 of 449 franchised campgrounds that operated at any time during the year. That breadth helps buyers see medians, averages, ranges and brand-position differences. It does not provide net income because operating expenses, royalties, Advertising Assessments, Administration Fees and other costs are excluded.

The Franchise Agreement combines centralized systems with local execution. The buyer receives defined tools and standards, but Kampgrounds of America, Inc. does not select the site, negotiate the purchase or lease, obtain permits, finance development, build the campground, hire employees or provide accounting procedures.

Sources: 2026 KOA FDD, Items 8, 10, 11, 15 and 16, pp. 16–30; official KOA discussion of campground ownership workload.

These questions target the uncertainties that most affect capital exposure, owner workload, operating control, territory and exit. Answers should be reconciled to the Franchise Agreement, applicable addenda, property records and current written offer terms.

• Which entry path, KOA Journey, KOA Holiday or KOA Resort standards, and property-improvement plan apply to the specific campground?
• What do current and former franchisees with a comparable season, site mix and camper-night volume report about labor, maintenance, K2 and field support?
• Which Item 19 population is comparable, and how do debt service, lease payments, owner compensation, capital expenditures and local taxes change the result?
• What exact Franchise Territory appears on the Data Sheet, and which internet, alternative-channel, nearby-brand and renewal rights remain reserved?
• Which mandatory, designated and preferred suppliers apply now, what rebates or processor charges apply, and which optional KOA services may become mandatory?
• What technology upgrades, data permissions, cybersecurity duties and outage procedures apply to KampSight/K2, koa.com and the designated payment platform?
• Which transfer fee, upgrade obligation, right of first refusal, liquidated-damages provision and Montana dispute clause would apply to the planned exit?
• Do the current written Administration Fee and conversion royalty terms reconcile with the 2026 FDD, Conversion Addendum and official franchise page?