Yes, Westgate Resorts, the company behind Westgate timeshare, still exists and operates timeshare resorts today. Westgate Resorts was founded in 1982 by David Siegel and originally started off selling timeshares in Florida. Over the decades, Westgate has grown into one of the largest privately-held timeshare companies in the world.
A Brief History of Westgate Resorts
Westgate Resorts was founded in 1982 by David Siegel and his wife Jackie. They started off selling timeshares at a small resort in Florida called Westgate Vacation Villas. This first property had 52 units.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Westgate Resorts expanded significantly by building and acquiring more resorts. Some key events and resorts in Westgate’s history include:
- 1986 – Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort opened in Gatlinburg, TN
- 1994 – Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort opened in Las Vegas
- 1995 – Westgate Park City Resort opened in Park City, UT
- 1999 – Westgate Lakes Resort opened in Orlando, FL
- 2000 – Westgate acquired French Lick Resort in Indiana
- 2010 – Westgate acquired the Planet Hollywood Towers in Las Vegas
Today, Westgate Resorts manages over 28,000 villas across more than 30 luxury resort properties. Their largest concentration of resorts is still in Florida, but they have properties located throughout the United States including in Hawaii, California, Colorado, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Westgate’s Timeshare Model
Westgate sells traditional deeded timeshare interests to owners. This means when you purchase a Westgate timeshare, you are buying either a week or points-based deed at one of their specific resort properties.
A Westgate timeshare purchase is considered a real estate transaction. As an owner, you would own a deeded interest in that property and could use your fixed or floating week vacation ownership each year. You could also trade it through RCI or another exchange company.
In addition to traditional timeshare, Westgate also offers a vacation ownership points program called Westgate Resorts Vacation Villas. This program allows owners to use points to stay at Westgate properties. Westgate owners can purchase add-on points if they want more flexibility.
Controversies and Criticisms
While Westgate Resorts continues to operate successfully today, they have faced some controversies over their timeshare sales tactics in the past. Here are some of the main criticisms that have been leveled against Westgate:
- Aggressive and high-pressure sales tactics – Many customers have complained that Westgate pushes owners to upgrade and buy more points using overly aggressive sales tactics.
- Lack of transparency – Critics have accused Westgate sales reps of not being upfront about maintenance fees, availability, and other aspects of ownership.
- Difficulty canceling – Some owners have said Westgate makes it very difficult to cancel or resell your timeshare if you change your mind shortly after purchasing.
- Poor customer service – There are online reviews complaining about long hold times and unresponsive customer service when dealing with Westgate.
While Westgate maintains that most owners are satisfied, they have faced multiple lawsuits over the years related to their sales tactics. However, they have not faced any major legal actions that have significantly impacted their business operations.
Westgate Today
Despite past controversies over sales tactics, Westgate Resorts remains a leader in the timeshare industry today. Some key facts about Westgate’s current business operations include:
- Over 400,000 owners
- 28,000+ villas across over 30 resorts
- 10,000+ employees
- $200+ million in annual sales revenue
- David Siegel remains founder, president and CEO
Westgate continues to open new resorts, such as Westgate River Ranch in Florida in 2021. They also have projects under construction like the Westgate Brooklyn in New York City.
The company highlights improvements to owner benefits in recent years such as a transparent points-based program, in-house customer support, and a licensed resale division through Westgate Resale Vacations.
So in summary – yes, Westgate Resorts remains a major player in timeshare today. While they have faced controversies in their sales and marketing tactics, Westgate continues to offer vacation ownership and operate resorts across the United States.
Conclusion
Westgate Resorts has a long history in timeshare, dating back to 1982 when founder David Siegel opened the first Westgate Vacation Villas resort. Today, Westgate remains one of the largest timeshare developers, now managing over 28,000 villas at 30+ resort properties.
While Westgate has faced criticism over sales tactics, the company highlights improvements made in recent years to owner benefits and customer service. Westgate continues to open new resorts and take on major development projects, signaling their intention to remain a leader in vacation ownership into the future.
