What Blue Water Development does

Blue Water Development, founded in 2002 by Jack and Todd Burbage in Ocean City, Maryland, is the largest third-party RV resort and outdoor hospitality management operator in the United States by portfolio size. The company manages a portfolio of 69 properties across 26 states, encompassing 10,929 rooms/sites, 219 marina slips, and 46 meeting spaces, spanning RV resorts, campgrounds, glamping destinations, hotels, and attractions. Its service portfolio includes full-service third-party management plus three integrated operational modules — AcctMAX (accounting and financial reporting), PeopleMAX (HR and payroll), and RevMAX (revenue and marketing management) — delivered alongside development and investment services. Operations are supported by a centralized AI-assisted accounts payable platform (Yooz) processing 4,000-5,000 invoices monthly across 106 entities.

The business model combines percentage-of-revenue management fees and performance-based incentive fees from third-party owners with direct investment returns from wholly-owned assets. Customer segments include independent campground owners, institutional investors and family offices, franchise networks (KOA, Jellystone Park, HTR Resorts, Sun Outdoors), and hotel/lodging owners (including Marriott Aloft). Distribution is primarily direct enterprise sales to investors and property owners, supplemented by franchise channel partnerships and direct-to-consumer booking through property websites. Named enterprise customers include Sun Outdoors, KOA, HTR Resorts, Marriott (Aloft), and Jellystone Park franchisees, with the June 2026 Spacious Skies 15-property transition representing one of the largest portfolio additions in company history.

Name

Blue Water Development

Legal name

Blue Water Development, LLC

Website

https://bwdc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blue Water Development is the largest third-party U.S. RV resort and outdoor hospitality management operator, managing 69 properties across 26 states for independent owners, institutional investors, and franchise networks (KOA, Jellystone, Sun Outdoors, HTR, Marriott Aloft).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Hospitality Management

NAICS

Traveler Accommodation (7211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Park Operations & Management Services (Third-Party Operators) (THAAABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Resort & Hotel Water Parks (On-Property Guest-Access Parks) (THAAABAC), Aquatic Family Entertainment Centers (Splash Pads, Aquatic Playgrounds, Swim Parks) (THAJAEAL)

Keywords

• Outdoor hospitality management
• RV resort management
• Campground management services
• Hospitality property development
• Vacation resort operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocean City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Third-Party Management Fees: Management fees charged as a percentage of revenue plus incentive fees tied to performance. Blue Water manages properties for independent owners, institutional investors, and franchise networks (KOA, Jellystone Park) under management agreements where property owners retain legal and financial ownership.
2. Investment Returns: Blue Water develops and invests in hospitality properties including RV resorts, campgrounds, hotels, and attractions. Returns generated through asset appreciation, rental income, and operational profitability from owned properties.
3. Development Services: Hospitality development services including property development, repositioning, and capital improvement planning for owned and managed properties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blue Water Development provides full-service third-party hospitality management for RV resorts, campgrounds, glamping destinations, hotels, marinas, and attractions, operating across three disciplines: hospitality development, hospitality investment, and hospitality management. The management offering is modularized into RevMAX (revenue management and marketing), PeopleMAX (HR, payroll, and workforce scheduling for seasonal operations), and AcctMAX (accounting, financial reporting, and investor reporting). The company owns and co-invests in a portfolio of 60+ properties across 26 U.S. states and manages an additional 15-property portfolio under the Spacious Skies partnership.

Product overview

Blue Water Development operates a modular outdoor hospitality management platform offering full-service property management supplemented by three integrated service modules: RevMAX (revenue and marketing management), PeopleMAX (HR and payroll management), and AcctMAX (accounting and financial management). The company manages a diverse portfolio spanning multiple sub-brands including Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts (family-themed campgrounds), Sun Outdoors (premium RV resorts), KOA Campgrounds (franchise properties), and HTR Resorts, as well as independent RV resorts, hotels, marinas, and attractions. Portfolio properties are located across 26 states from Maine to Florida and west to Louisiana and Tennessee, totaling 69 properties with 10,929 rooms/sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Service Hospitality Management Comprehensive third-party hospitality management for RV resorts, campgrounds, glamping destinations, hotels, marinas, and attractions, covering daily operations, staffing, guest services, marketing, financial reporting, and capital improvement planning. Service is tailored for both independent owners and institutional owners.
• RevMAX Revenue and Marketing Management Revenue and marketing management service delivering dedicated revenue management experts, dynamic pricing strategies, booking pace monitoring, demand forecasting, targeted marketing campaigns, and occupancy optimization for RV parks, campgrounds, and outdoor resorts.
• PeopleMAX HR and Payroll Management Human resources and payroll management service providing digital time clocks, workforce scheduling, payroll processing, tax compliance, employee benefits administration, HR policies, labor compliance, and recruiting support for seasonal hospitality operations.
• AcctMAX Accounting and Financial Management Enterprise-grade accounting and financial management service covering accounts payable, accounts receivable reconciliation, monthly financial reporting, cash flow planning, budget development, and investor reporting for RV parks and campgrounds. Backed by Yooz AI-powered AP automation processing 4,000–5,000 invoices monthly across 69 properties and 106 entities.
• Hospitality Development Services Hospitality real estate development services including property development, repositioning, and capital improvement planning for owned, managed, and co-developed RV resorts, campgrounds, hotels, and mixed-inventory outdoor resorts.
• Hospitality Investment Services Hospitality property investment services covering acquisition, ownership, and joint-venture investment in RV resorts, campgrounds, hotels, and attractions, generating returns through asset appreciation, rental income, and operational profitability.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed properties consistently outperform regional benchmarks on RevPAD (revenue per available day), occupancy, and ancillary revenue
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, community, strategic and core.

• Spacious Skies CampgroundsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Blue Water assumed operational management of Spacious Skies' 15-property portfolio on June 23, 2026. This is one of the largest single-portfolio management transitions in Blue Water's history. Spacious Skies co-founders Ali Rasmussen and Eric Rasmussen retain ownership. Blue Water retained 95% of Spacious Skies' team during the transition.
• Care Camps FoundationcommunityGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026Blue Water launched a portfolio-wide fundraising campaign in partnership with Care Camps Foundation during National Camping Month. Properties host guest-facing fundraising activities with a goal of raising $1,000 per property. Care Camps Foundation funds medically supervised oncology camps for children with cancer across the U.S. and Canada.
• ProvidentstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Provident partnered with Blue Water to open Roaming Trails RV Retreat in Burleson, Texas, marking Provident's first venture into long-term RV living. Blue Water manages operations of the retreat which offers upscale amenities and Texas-themed programming. Plans exist for additional locations.
• YoozcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Blue Water implemented Yooz's AI-powered finance platform in 2020 to automate accounts payable operations. The platform enables processing of 4,000-5,000 invoices monthly while maintaining centralized oversight across the growing portfolio. Blue Water expanded from 13 to 69 properties and now manages 106 entities through the system. The company plans to further expand use of Yooz, including YoozPay, to streamline payment approvals.
• Vivian HealthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Water partnered with Vivian Health (the largest healthcare jobs marketplace with 2.4 million users) to offer exclusive lodging discounts for traveling healthcare professionals. The partnership offers 12% off long-term stays (28+ nights) with code VIVIANLT and 20% off short-term stays (2-14 nights) with code VIVIANST. Additional deals include $100 off per month at select Northeast resorts for 2026 season.
• Girl Camper, LGBTQ+ Outdoors, Latino Outdoors, The Unity FolkscommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Water maintains partnerships with inclusive outdoor organizations to expand access for historically underrepresented communities. These community partnerships are foundational to the company's inclusive approach to outdoor hospitality.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HTR Holdings (HTR Resorts): HTR Resorts owns and operates a portfolio of premium RV resorts across destination markets such as the Adirondacks, Black Hills, Door County, Moab, and Niagara. Blue Water manages multiple HTR-branded properties, positioning HTR as both a customer and a directly comparable resort operator.
• Sun Outdoors (Sun Communities): Sun Outdoors is a major owner and operator of branded RV resorts and outdoor hospitality properties across the U.S. Blue Water manages multiple Sun Outdoors-branded properties, making it both a customer and the most direct comparable operator in the same asset class.
• Kampgrounds of America (KOA): KOA is the largest franchise network of campgrounds in North America and also operates owned properties. Blue Water manages multiple KOA Holiday and KOA Journey properties, making KOA a customer and the closest network-affiliated peer in the campground category.
• Thousand Trails: Thousand Trails operates a membership-based network of RV resorts and campgrounds across the U.S. and is owned by ELS. It is a directly comparable operator in the outdoor hospitality category with overlapping customer demographics and property types.
• RVC Outdoor Destinations: RVC Outdoor Destinations operated a portfolio of upscale RV resorts prior to its acquisition by Sun Outdoors. It is a directly comparable branded RV resort operator with similar resort-amenity positioning and geographic footprint.
• Jellystone Park (franchise system): Jellystone Park is a national franchise network of family-focused camp-resorts with recreation programming. Blue Water manages five Jellystone locations and won 22 awards at the 2025 Jellystone Symposium, making the franchise system both a customer and a directly comparable camp-resort operator.
• Spacious Skies Campgrounds: Spacious Skies is an independent operator of 15 campground properties across the U.S. As of June 2026, Blue Water assumed operational management of the Spacious Skies portfolio while ownership remained with the founders, making it a directly comparable operator in the same third-party-managed campground category.

Broad incumbents

• Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS): ELS is the largest publicly traded REIT owning RV resorts, manufactured home communities, and marinas, including the Thousand Trails membership network. While ELS primarily owns rather than third-party manages, it competes for the same property owners and institutional capital that Blue Water targets.

Emerging players

• Carefree RV Resorts: Carefree RV Resorts operates a portfolio of RV resorts and membership-based outdoor properties primarily in Florida and the Southwest. It is a smaller emerging operator in the same RV resort asset class with overlapping customer demographics.
• Great Outdoor Resort Properties: Great Outdoor Resort Properties is an independent owner and operator of RV resorts and campgrounds in select U.S. markets. It represents an emerging, smaller-scale operator competing in the same RV resort category as Blue Water's owned and managed portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blue Water Development