BOWLING GREEN, KY--(Marketwire - Jun 8, 2012) - Camping World, America's leading retailer of RV parts and accessories, announces termination of its cooperation agreement with RV retailer Lazydays RV SuperCenter in Tampa, FL, effective immediately.
Camping World, a Kentucky-based company established in 1966, has officially notified Lazydays of its termination of the cooperation agreement that was signed by local Tampa entrepreneur and philanthropist Don Wallace in 1995. During the tenure of the agreement while Don Wallace owned Lazydays, this partnership not only benefitted both companies financially but also directly led to the creation of significant job placement for the greater Tampa community.
Since Don Wallace sold the Lazydays dealership in 2004, Lazydays has operated under two separate business owners. These changes to the company, established in 1976, caused business disruption and layoffs in excess of 100 employees and as a result Lazydays inevitably filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009.
Camping World, which operates over 90 retail locations nationwide and employs 1,500 people, has been a fixture in the Tampa market. Historically, the Tampa area location, located on Interstate 4 in Seffner, Florida (just east of Tampa), has been the top-selling retail location for Camping World, but the store has suffered in recent years because of the blatant disregard of the terms of the cooperation agreement signed between Camping World and Lazydays under Don Wallace's tenure.
A principal point of the cooperation agreement was that Lazydays was to only purchase parts and accessories from the Seffner Camping World location. On several occasions Camping World has notified Lazydays of the breach of contract.
"I will not stand by and watch an agreement that was entered into in good faith between Don Wallace and my predecessors, and which has worked beneficially for several years, be shamefully violated," said Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Camping World. "I will continue to stand by my management and employees at the Seffner location that have been affected by this egregious violation."
Wallace and Lazydays are now locked in a suit and counter suit over the fate of the land underneath the Lazydays dealership.
Through a company called I-4 Land Holding Limited Co., Wallace still owns the land under the dealership he founded in 1976, the largest single-site dealership in the nation.
"It is also very concerning to me that Lazydays is currently in litigation with the original owner Don Wallace over his trying to protect his property rights from Lazydays and its out of state owners," Lemonis added.
About Camping World
Founded in 1966, Camping World is the world's largest retailer of RV and camping accessories, RV maintenance and repair and provides outdoor enthusiasts over 10,000 RV parts and accessories, maintenance, professional installation, collision repair and much more to enhance the RV and outdoor lifestyle. With over 90 retail locations nationwide, a state-of-the-art call center and an award-winning website, Camping World is serving the needs of RVing families across the nation.
For more information, visit www.CampingWorld.com.
Contact Information:
Contact:
Karen L. Porter
Senior Marketing Manager
Camping World RV Sales
847-229-6408 Direct