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Resort / Exchange Company Affiliation... (by KC):
daves250 asks in part: >>... how hard is it for a resort to change its allegience from RCI to Interval? A simple vote by the board of directors? I know some are affiliated with both, if this is easy to do, why aren't more doing it? << ======================================
You've asked a good question, but the answer is not simple. The affiliation (...it's certainly much more than just an "allegiance") between a resort and an exchange company is a contractual (i.e., legally binding) relationship. As in all valid contracts, there is a defined term (a beginning and ending time period for contractual performance). What a representative time period for such a contractual affiliation between a resort and an exchange company is I do not know --- but it's certainly a fair number of years at a stretch (i.e., not just from one year to the next). I'm also sure that neither the resort nor the exchange company could "jump ship" before contract expiration, except in instances of egregious breach of contract; it's hard to imagine any such circumstances.
Additionally, keep in mind that an exchange company must first be willing to even have its' name associated with a particular resort in the first place. Over the years, many people have openly claimed that Interval Intl would never allow its' name to be associated with a "lower end" timeshare facility of lesser quality, whereas RCI would gladly affiliate with anything, anyone, anywhere, anytime. Whether there is actual merit to this belief, I don't know --- exchanging has never really been of much interest to me. I have belonged to both RCI and II in the past (and to both simulataneously for a while) but have chosen to "exchange" only a few times over the years, regardless of the particular exchange company used.
In fairness to RCI, reading through forum discussions on various timeshare sites also reveals some dissatisfaction among some Interval Intl members as well. While RCI is the much bigger entity that so many people apparently just "love to hate", Interval members are not necessarily all happy, smiling souls either. But....at least II has a "search before deposit" option, as opposed to the RCI "deposit, then hope" practices with which so many people are now so frequently and so deeply dissatisfied. That dissatisfaction runs so deep that a class action lawsuit (Murillo vs. RCI) was filed against RCI in April, 2006. Since then, the case has progressed steadily (albeit slowly) and is now much closer to an end than to its' beginning.
In view of the uncertainties, costs, and "man behind the RCI curtain" mysteries of RCI trading power (and now lawsuits against RCI), I've come to hold the personal opinion that people probably should NOT buy any timeshare which they are not able, willing and happy to use, even if they never later seek or acquire an "exchange". Exchange should be regarded only as a possible, occasional side benefit --- NOT as a primary objective or purpose in ANY purchase. That's just my own personal view and opinion, evolved over two decades of timeshare experience (most of it good, some of it not). In the end, to each his /her own, I guess....