Pittsburgh-area campers head to court after lifetime memberships were voided by new owners

Months ago, it was learned that people who had purchased lifetime memberships to the Roaring Run Resort campground in Laurel Highlands did not have their memberships honored by the new ownership. 

Last year, those campers were told they had to vacate by the new owners. 

Now, it's led to a flurry of lawsuits. 

"They're looking to be made whole," campers file lawsuits

In two of the lawsuits, campers are suing the previous ownership, which said the lifetime agreements were part and parcel of the sale. They are also suing the new ownership, which said the agreements were not part of the sale.  

Meanwhile, in another, the new owners are suing the old owners, claiming they led campers astray. 

Regardless, attorneys representing the campers said their clients are the victims of an injustice. 

"The injustice is, as alleged by us, the defendants have refused to honor these memberships, and our people, the right to camp," said Matthew James, one of the attorneys. "They're looking to be made whole in all of this." 

For the campers, at the time, they were confused and saddened by the decision. 

"It's just a different kind of life, and I just can't imagine that someone could be so disconnected and cold to say your memberships mean nothing," said Catherine Thompson. 

The sides are now headed to court, and the campers want to either return to the campground under their old agreements or be refunded. 

New owners claim memberships not part of the sale

For years, campers parked their RVs, made friends, and became a big, extended family. Each of them paid $10,000 or more for those lifetime memberships. 

Then, with one decision, those memberships appeared to be not worth the paper they were printed on. 

Roaring Run Resort was sold to Tannery, a Texas LLC, for $2.5 million, and the original owner told campers at a meeting that their memberships would be honored by Tannery. 

"They're going to honor the membership agreement as they are written," campers were told at the meeting. 

Then an email came through to the 700-plus members saying the agreements were not part of the sale. New fees were presented, including $60 a day, $250 a week, and $3,000 a season.

The email said the campers could agree to the new fees or clear out.