Campers who bought lifetime memberships to a Laurel Highlands campground say they are being told they have to leave.

Campers at Pittsburgh Roaring Run RV Resort said they feel betrayed by the old owner who sold the campground in Westmoreland County and the new owners who are telling them to vacate. 

Campers with lifetime memberships told to leave

For the hundreds of families who camp, it's a 100-acre paradise in the heart of the Laurel Highlands.

For years, they've parked their RVs and made friends, becoming a big extended family. Each one has paid $10,000 or more for lifetime memberships, but suddenly those memberships appear not worth the paper they're printed on.  

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

Recently, campground owner Jay Corl sold Roaring Run Resort to Tannery, a Texas limited liability corporation, for $2.5 million. Concerned members called a meeting where Corl assured them their contracts were part and parcel of the sale and would be honored by the new ownership. 

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

But then the 700-plus members got an email from Tannery saying their memberships were never part of the sale and are now null and void. Members were free to stay but subject to a host of new fees: $60 a day, $250 a week and $3,000 a season. The email said they could either agree or clear out.  

"Accordingly, if you do not elect one of the new options ... this correspondence serves as Tannery's formal written notice to you to vacate immediately," the email said. "Tannery reserves the right to initiate any and all legal proceedings necessary to effectuate your removal." 

Campers voice concerns 

A group of campgroudn members contacted KDKA Investigates to expose what they see as an injustice. 

"We spent our life savings to join here," camper Mark Wills said. "I've got over $16,000 invested."

Mark and Fran Wills had planned to spend much of their retirement at the campground, but now say they can't afford the new rates and may have to pull up stakes. 

"It's just not fair," Fran Wills said. "We've spent too much time here and getting to know everybody. We're all friends and it's family."

While they're no fans of the new owners, the group believes it was Corl who misled them. 

"He sold us the contracts, and he made sure the contracts didn't go with the property," Mark Wills said. "I don't blame the new owners. They're just trying to start a business."

KDKA's Andy Sheehan spoke with Corl on the phone. He maintained that the memberships were part of the sale. He agreed to meet in person to tell his side of the story, but he never showed. Sheehan then went to Corl's house, and he left in his vehicle. KDKA's crew spotted him a mile away and he again took off.

Taking their campground fight to court

Members now say they'll fight Corl in court. 

"We're gonna take legal action," camper Ron Kepchia said. 

Corl said he won't be commenting on the advice of his attorney. 

The new owners have told the campers to pay up or clear out, but the owners' attorney said they'd like to talk with the members to resolve the situation, telling KDKA, "We care deeply about cleaning up this mess."