TACO Officials Tackle Legislative Front

Texas park operators heard a mix of good and bad legislative news last week during the annual Spring Meeting and Tradeshow of the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO). The good news involved the passage of legislation that was designed to reduce park operators’ water rates and to reduce their liability for certain types of insurance claims.

April 2024 Texas Legislature Update

As the Texas Legislature moves closer to the upcoming legislative session in 2025 a few headwinds remain that will potentially set the scene for an very interesting relationship between the Texas House and Senate. In regards to legislative leadership, the biggest headwind looming is whether or not the current Speaker of the House, Rep. Dad Phelan,

Texas House and Senate Primary Runoff Elections Report

Incumbents did not fare well on Election Night.  The record number of Republican incumbents to lose was seven in 2012 and 2014. Tuesday evening was a historic night with nine sitting State Representatives losing and eight heading to a runoff including Speaker Phelan.  Phelan is the first House speaker in 52 years to be forced into a

TACO Webinar Looks at Legislative Wins & Losses

The Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) has polled its members over the years and the No. 1 member benefit continues to be government affairs. To that end, TACO scored some legislative victories but didn’t get everything it wanted during the latest legislative session, which ended May 29. TACO officials briefed close to 50 park operators on

Getting the most out of your Texas Campgrounds membership

1. Pay Campground Dues by Sept. 1st and get a 10% discount. 2. Check your TACO Guide Listing – make sure everything is accurate and updated with new amenities including Glamping and EV Charging. 3. Check your Texas Campgrounds listing for accuracy, new amenities, and new photos. Email listing updates to rhodes@texascampgrounds.com. 4. Check the

Grant Funds Available to Texas RV Parks and Campgrounds

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism have announced the opening of applications, beginning July 6, 2022 for the Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program (TTIR). The TTIR program will support the Texas tourism, travel, and hospitality industry by making grant funds available to businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

TACO Helps Owners Nab Pool Certification on Zoom

Twenty staff members from twenty-two campgrounds and RV parks in three states received their Certified Pool Operator certificates after completing an online course offered by the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO). “We may be the first campground association in the country to offer Certified Pool Operator training via Zoom,” said Brian Schaeffer, TACO’s executive director and

Grants for electrical charging stations at your campground

If your park is wanting to put in electric charging stations, grant funds may be available to your park. Eligible project costs under this particular grant include, equipment, supplies and materials, construction, and subcontracted professional services. Be sure to check Appendix A for targeted clean transportation zone counties. A total of $12 million in grants

TACO’s Vendor Guide Features Products, Services

The Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) has just released its annual Vendor Guide, which is available for free in printed and digital formats for TACO members, according to a press release. “We publish a booklet for every TACO member that has all of our vendors in it,” said Brian Schaeffer, TACO’s executive director and CEO. “The

TACO Launches New Members-Only Zoom Webinars

The Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) is now providing its members with periodic online educational seminars via Zoom, according to a press release. “We thought this would be a great way to share the experience of industry experts to help our members improve their management, operations and profitability without having to take extensive time away from