Colonial Crossings Of Williamsburge, Va review: lack of development. 103

My husband and I also were sucked into the sweet talk of the repesentitive of Colonial Crossing. Impressed with the huge diagrams and maps of the "RESORT" mounted on the walls and the computer imaging and the models which were used to sell us on the huge family resort like no other anywhere in the world. Even the person who they were working with on the design who previous consulted on the designs of Disney World. At that time we were told the WATER PARK, complete with on site shopping, restaurants, private pools and many other emenities...an all inclusive vacation spot would be completed in 18 mo. Is nowhere near completion. All lies. We are currently being harrassed daily for our lack of payment on our contract. They have so cleverly managed to lure all unsuspecting good middle incomed families into this sale of nothing more than a small condo we can't use, can't sell, can't rent and can't swap out for the use of another location. We were also told we needed to take advantage of the preconstrution prices they were offering to the 1st purchasers.

The really sad part is they are continuing to do this to more innocent people everyday.

All... I agree...my wife and I are having the same problem. We need to continue to develop a list or group to combat their deceptive pratice.

We also got talked into getting in on the ground floor, before the construction was complete to purchase. This is also 2 years later, no water park or any other amenities completed. There should be someway everyone could get together and launch a lawsuit and get are full refund back.

This is exactly what is happening. No one is happy that the water park has not been built and there seems to be some lack of communication with regards to the "QUALITY TIME" memberships that people never got a password or ID.

We are receiving mass emails from unhappy colonial crossings members (a list of 6 pages with back to back emails from unhappy members). This all got started when an ex employee contacted all of us and listed all of our email addresses.

Colonial Crossing's Contact:
ccwowners@colonialcrossings.com
ownercare@colonialcrossings.com

Email that started all the communication:
On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 1:34 AM, Thom Hug wrote:

Dear friends,

My name is Thom Hug. Most of you would know me as the former Asst. Director of Member Services at Colonial Crossings resort in Williamsburg.

I spent the majority of my career trying to help you, as owners, solve your problems and make your timeshare work the way it is supposed to, and trying to help you make the salesmen’s promises a reality.

While I am now no longer associated with Colonial Crossings, that does not release me from the promise I made to help you with your timeshare property. The benefit to this is that I am no longer bound by any company loyalty, so you can rest assured that I will tell it to you straight.

Please email me back if you would like help in any way.

Yours Truly,

Thom

AND an email that shows the next step as put by an attorney and owner at Colonial:

Dear Mr. Holt,

We appreciate you taking the time to respond to the owners concerns and
questions. We agree with Mr. Eglinton who wrote a response stating that the
only false statement is the fact that Colonial Crossing promised a water
park, and to date, it has not even begun to build one. We were glad to be
included on these e-mails, and believe it is time for this matter to finally
be addressed.

When we were on our tour of Colonial Crossing, our sales agent, Ira, pitched
the water park as the main reason to buy Colonial Crossing. We asked him at
least FIVE times, what if the water park is not built? We were very
concerned due to the economy. He assured us each time that the owners had
tons of money and the water park would be built on time. He assured us the
owners had been part of Disney World and knew what they were doing. We
watched a video showing us the water park and the wonderful benefits it
would bring to our timeshare.

I am an attorney and my husband is a college professor. We have a good
understanding of our rights. The water park is definitely a part of the
contract with Colonial Crossing, and Colonial Crossing has breached it. We
were told we would receive EIGHT free passes to the water park each year
regardless if we stayed at the time share. We live only ninety minutes from
Colonial Crossing, and this was very appealing to us. Like Mr. Englinton,
we have to tell our children again this summer that we cannot go to a water
park that was guaranteed to be built by our sales agent Ira by the end of
2009. Now, we are being told that you have not even broken ground for this
water park. We also have learned that this promise has been made since
2007! Basically, either our sales agent lied to us or the managment and/or
owners at Colonial Crossing lied to him so he would sell more timeshares.
Regardless, the management and owners are responsible for their employees,
and you are responsible for your sales agent's actions and promises made to
us during his sales pitch. You had him play the video of the water park to
get us to buy your timeshare. If you allowed your sales agents to play this
video knowing the water park was not going to built in the "near" future,
then you are responsible for false advertisement and deception. If you
played the video thinking the water park would be built, and now we know it
has not been built, then we are due a refund. You have failed to live up to
your end of the bargain and have breached the oral contract made by your
sales agent.

We were told that this indoor water park would make our time share more
valuable because no other resort in the Williamsburg area had one.
Therefore, we paid more for a timeshare than we should have in light of the
FACT you have never built the water park. In FACT, you have not even broken
ground on it.

In addition, there were other amenities promised during the sales pitch.
Colonial Crossing was going to have stables on the premises. We are riders,
and this was very enticing to us to have the opportunity to go horseback
riding at our own timeshare. It appears this is no longer even being
considered by the management as is it is not even mentioned on the website.

We demand compensation for the following:

1. The eight passes we have never received each year for the water park; 2.
The lost of value in our time share since the water park has never been
built, and clearly, it appears it will never be built; 3. The false
pretense to get us to buy a timeshare at Colonial Crossing rather than
another resort; and 4. Breach of an oral and written contract as to the
amenities of our time share.

We look forward to hearing from you with regards to our concerns and demands
in this matter.

Very truly yours,

Laura and John Hays
irishoakfarm@aol.com
13207 Lew Jones Road
Dewitt, VA 23840

Dear Colonial Crossings Owners:

With a significant change in management, I have made it a point to meet and/or talk with many of you over the past couple of months. As of late, it has been brought to my attention that there has been a string of emails circulating amongst you. Much of the content of these emails is either slanted or outright false. Furthermore, and as many of you have already expressed to me, I have a concern for your privacy and the mis-use of your personal information. Specifically, how was your email address obtained and used by a former employee? Rest assured, it is my commitment to protect your privacy. To that end, an outside investigative agency has been retained to analyze and determine the breach. In this regard, all necessary action will be taken.

Notwithstanding the above, and as has been expressed by some of you in the content of these emails, there are concerns and/or questions regarding your ownership at Colonial Crossings. I very much would like to speak to your concerns and/or questions. We have established a dedicated line [protected]) that you may call at any time and leave your full name, account number, and return telephone number. I personally will return the call within 24 hours. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Ronald T. Holt

Can anyone advise of a next step...I'm over the rudeness, consistent lies and excuses. We have been owners since 2005 and still waiting on the amenities that was promised. ( Broken Promises and Breach of Contract). I have called and no one can seem to give a straight anwser as to Why and When? Their ( Land'or Williamsburg, LLC "Colonial Crossing") now using the ecomony as their newest excuse...whatever., because the water park and promises was to be completed by 2007 then 2009...all before a change in the economy. Who do they think we are...idiots. No, Mr. Holt we are hard working Americans from may different walks of life ( Dr's, Factory Workers, Contruction Workers, Lawyers, Teacher's, Managers and etc...who bought into lie by a group of theives. All, please do no buy into the change in management...the top players are still the same. As owners and some Charter members we should not be concerned about how our email was obtained but that there has been light shined on the corrupt practices by the President and his management team at Land'or Williamsburg, LLC (Colonial Crossings) and the same is true for their Land'or International properties. Thi is not a bigger than wht we ll know...if you look ofn the inetrnet at timeshare sells sites, its flooded with Colonial Williamsbug properties and teh trade value os terrible. With that said, I agree with Laura and John Hays and I beleive that this needs to become a legal matter. Thom Hug is not the problem Mr. Holt it's you and your upper management team...I'm not looking for any money back, I don't want free tickets or passes, I just want to be released from the contract that was BREACHED! In addition, we are not interested in more lies and empty promises. What should be peaceful has become stressful and a MONEY PIT! WARNING to all owners like myself...do not buy in to more (lack of a better word) CRAP! Mr. Holt keep your dedicated line...take it and ... I will say no more. Laura and John Hays...please keep me advised on legal actions that you may take, I am willing to contribute financially if there is a need. THANK YOU Thom Hug for being an honest man...you gained a conscience and walked away from the corpoarte BS and now Mr. Holt and his Upper Management team wants to discredit you. Owners, I have consulted with several attorneys and we all have a case...please keet this in mind. Shame on you Mr. Holt, shame on you...just evil, what your trying to do...yoiur just anothe puppet for your Senior Management team. I willask that you take a step back and put yourself in our shoes the Owners shoes...SHAME ON YOU!

I would like all of the money back that we invested in this farce, and a law suite doesn't sound to bad right now, it is also hard to schedule things with interval. I am very sad and disappointed.

I think everyone should complain to the BBB.

I believe Mr. Holt is correct. Mr. Thom Hug did not walk away from the Corporate BS, he was let go do to his lack of Management skills. Spite and stealing mine and your information from the company is not what I call gaining a conscience. The economy is bad for everyone. We are saving money using our own timeshare and exchange program. If you utilize what you have you would not be complaining. My family goes every year since we bought. We also were told promises concerning the Waterpark but what I was told is that while waiting for the breaking of the ground, licenses and permits ran out. My husband is a contractor and completely understands the process. I am sorry you are focusing on the negative but the positive is that you own property. I have not had the pleasure of speaking personally with Mr. Holt but it seems he is willing to address our concerns. Take advantage of that.

vbkfam:

I do use my timeshare. We expect the waterpark to be built. You are incorrect to believe that the water park will be built because there is NO FINANCING AVAILABLE TO DO THE WATER PARK THAT WAS PROMISED! This is the problem! It is you who are the one who is misinformed. Mr. Holt is willing to talk. He is the one who verified that there is not financing or money to build the park right now because the banks are not lending to them... for whatever the reason. Now, take that information to the bank.

Just one little correction... perhaps ONE DAY the water park will be built but it certainly won't be while my kids are old enough to enjoy them as was the statement by the salesmen. Whether financing will become available is the question. Whether or not the water park can be built by using the millions of dollars already received by CC over the last 5 + years is the question. THINK about that. YOUR SALES PRICE WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN FRONTED BY RESORT FUNDING TO CC WHEN YOU PURCHASED (average lets say $15, 000 every year red) x 4500 owners +/- = $67, 500, 000.00 THATS 67 MILLION DOLLARS PEOPLE. PLUS Maintenance fees of about $350/owner x 4500 owners = 1, 575, 000.00 PER YEAR x 4 years (they've been in business 5 years that I know of... perhaps longer...) = 6, 300, 000.00 THATS ANOTHER 6 MILLION. NOW take into account that probably the owners haven't all paid their debts, they have to pay the employees and pay for the electric of it all, maintenance, etc... and lets say that roughly half of the owners are husbands and wives which bring that owner number as far as individual accounts to 2250. THAT'S STILL A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY PEOPLE! WHERE DID IT ALL GO! ? That is our problem. So before you say that we don't know what we are talking about maybe you should get a view of the picture that the other owner's have: DON'T BUY HERE!

That fact that Mr. Holt is willing to talk is IRRELEVANT!

Is there anyone willing to help me stage a peaceful protest against the company. Just enough to deminish sales for a day and keep others from being taken for a ride?

I too was "dupted" by this company and Mr. Holt over 10 years ago as a Club Land'or owner, the "company" even filed suit against me for not paying my "dues", mind you I was paid in full, only owing fees every year. The year I decided to stand up against this wrongful "special assessment", is the year they filed in small claims court against me. I was stupid and naive and should have gone to court, however, I allowed Mr Holt to talk me into giving back my ownership, which was paid in full for 30 years, with no continued liability to myself. Which means, I have given the company "a week" a year for the next 30 years to re-sell. The owners of this company are just plain greedy. There is a new time share that was recently started and near completion, including waterpark area, across from Busch Gardens, ...they were able to get financing...what is wrong with this company. The BBB is a good place to start, but the Commonwealths Attorney and the State Corporation Commission are two other good places. Breach of contract, taking money with no intent of fulfilling promises written or expressed is still breach of contract. Mr. Holt take notice, most people don't want their money back, just make good on the promises you made...put your personal life style aside, and make good on your promises!

I am very disappointed with my purchase and recently experienced some difficult times and could not keep my payments up. Only to find out that the company was also have financial issues. The funding ran out and that is why the waterpark has not broken ground yet. However the finance company spends a lot of man power having people call us sometimes even twice a day. We have not been able to even use our property due to the fact if the payments are up to date the maintance fees are not. I am not interested in my money back but would like to know what I am struggling to pay I will one day see. If we do have a form that we can all get together to take action count me in. We were made a lot of promises that they have not kept. They have an obligation to hold up to their end of the bargain.

I too was duped into somewhat of a purchase. My Fiancee and I said no all the way until they presented the trial plan, 18 months @ $75.00 per month. I'm glad I didn't buy, but see no reason to continue paying for something that I had no idea was a scam. I too only want a refund of the monies paid and a release from the contract. I recently went to Florida and bough a timeshare @ Westgate Town Center and paid less than $8, 000 for mine. There is a waterpark being constructed and you can see the progress. I live in Maryland, but I too will contact the BBB and I'm not sure about the Attorney General's Office not knowing if Virgina has one.

We were also duped by colonial crossings. Not only were promises not kept, as with many others, but we had worked hard to get 3 families to tour the facility in order to have our maintenance fees waived. They did not waive the fees and upon not paying my fees for the quarter for many months, calling weekly and sometimes daily and talking to people who told me they would take care of it and did not. After a while I was threatened by the credit bureau and ended up having the pay the fee plus finance charges in order to keep my good credit. I had talked to someone regarding this and she promised me my money back which never happened. I am completely dissatified and do want my money back plus being released from my contract. We would love to get together with anyone to discuss this and possibly file a class action law suit. Count us in.

I brought into this promise 3 years ago. My wife and I have 7 grandchilrdren whom we looked forward in taking them to this indoor resort and water theme park. I am tried of paying on broken promises. Lets have a owners meeting and come up with a plan to be done with this company.

Several have made reference to getting together to take a stand on this. No business should be able to operate under fraudulent conditions. As we speake more people are being invited and going to these tours. I am sure we could all share in the cost of attny fees because it would in our best as well as the publics best intrest. The Better Business Bureu gives them an A rating and even when I contacted them they just sent me back a letter telling me that my comments would be noted but they were closing my case. Come on people promises were made that none of us may never see or our children.

I truely wished that I had investigated these complaints before purchasing a timeshare at Colonial Crossings of Williamsburg... I hate that we have been taken for a timeshare con game... Please, if anyone has a plan to get out of the contracts, you can contact me or add me to the list. My contact information is oncallces@live.com. My name is Michael Smith and they will never get another dime from me...

I am also an extremely unhappy duped owner of a timeshare at Colonial Crossings Williamsburg. We are the joke of all of our friends that we got sucked into this mess. I hate this organization and I can't believe they haven't gotten taken down yet. And I agree with an earlier post- they are supposedly having financial trouble but they HARASS US CONSTANTLY if we are late with our payment. It's ridiculous. We've never even used this stupid timeshare. So livid about the LIES they have told us regarding the building of the waterpark. It looks like an apartment complex. We might as well be BURNING the money we send every month because we don't get ANY use of it.

I spent half an hour telling "Bill the Business Manager" about a month ago that we needed some assurance that our investment wasn't a complete mess and could he please send us some kind of information regarding the next phase of the development. Bill promised, but we never got it. Seriously, someone sue these people. There HAS to be a way.

I would be happy to attend and participate in a meeting to make demands of the group that is building Colonial Crossings Williamsburg. I still remember the glossy graphic posters of the beautiful waterparks and that was 4 years ago and still NOTHING with no plan for anything. They just keep building more units which doesn't help. That's not why we bought in.

Well, it does seem we have a very big difference of opinion. First I'd like to respond to the people who think there is nothing wrong with paying above any market price for a time share for which many have been unable to use, sell, or trade off for vacationing in another location. That it is ok in their eyes to continue to sell these "deeded properties" to unuspecting, hard working people with yet still...the promises of a water park, that you are admitting they now say they don't even have the financing for. Did they have the financing a year ago? two?three?four?five? I know the the economy is bad, this economy has continued to rape unsuspecting people and steal money right out of our Bank accounts. Maybe you have money to throw out the window to stay at nothing but hotel room to visit Williamsburg once a year for a week. But, we invested...with 3 children and our selling point was the water park. Shame on you and your husband for trying to defend and trying to justify what this company has and is doing to thousands of families. You should find a hole and put your head in it.

FYI FOLKS ACCORDING TO ANOTHER LOCAL RESORT-THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE A WATERPARK NOW. My aunt bought in 2006 & has only exchanged 1 time & then my cousing bought too & has never been so he STOPPED PAYING a year ago & they called 6 times a day every day & then they just went away.

Lie, Steal, Cheat. I absolutely hate Colonial Crossing & Resort Funding is even worse. We bought into this time share in April of 2005, we are "CHARTER MEMBERS". We are so mad. We pay $161 per month, every month for 7 years (although we remember being told it would only be 5). At the time, our son was 10, he is now 15. In the past the resort has had to send us 2 FREE WEEKEND VOUCHERS that we have never been able to use due to NO VACANCY. We were also promised 6 passes to the WATER PARK, what water park? I've addressed lie & cheat, now I will address STEAL: after 3 years of paying on automatic withdrawal from our account we requested to be removed from automatic withdrawal & the automatic payments did stop until 1 month they just decided to start helping themselves to our bank account again, yep they sure did so we had to file additional paperwork with the bank to stop them. we continued to make the payments on our own. One month I called Resort Funding to make a payment & the man in Richmond with the northern accent hung up on me & I was calling to make a payment.

Another trick that Resort Funding uses when your payment is late, other than 6 rude calls a day & threatening emails, is to "accidentally" leave another threat at the end of the voice messages knowing that you are going to here it. It goes like this "okay send out a field agent." I have had late payments & currently owe maintenance fees & still have not seen a "field agent." I would participate in suing this company for the all of the memories that never happened when my son was small, since he is fifteen-sure he would enjoy an inside water park but we all know & the board knows that it is not going to happen.

Another "Charter Member" here...July 2005. I would love to get owners together and formulate a plan. Well, now that we know that we want something done, let's get people together and do it!

Here is the Thing...you people are pretty much stupid for even buying a timeshare...once you are done paying the mortgage for the year...and your fees, you could rent a fricken mansion in the outer banks or somthing...instead of staying in a small "hotel room" with a kitchen. smart move folks...you deserve what you get. Timeshares...lol...dumbest idea ever!

My husband and I have fallen victim to this fraudlent act by Colonial Crossings. We are looking into our legal rights. We are currently drafting a complaint to State's Attorney General's office. Please let us know if there is a class action lawsuit.

Thanks,

G and N Edmonds (nikisha.edmonds@yahoo.com)

I am just furious! We have 5 kids and my husband is the only one working right now. We have been late on our payments a few times and always ended up having the rudest person on this face of the earth calling our home and leaving down right rude, and obnoxious messages on our answering machine... LET HIM CALL AGAIN! I just canceled our last monthly payment and have contacted some attorney's tonight to see what we can do legally.

We have already filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. If anyone would like the FTC Confirmation No. to file an addendum to the federal complaint, then please send a copy of your complaint to fraudalert@isonar.org

1. Colonial Crossings has made statements held in the Virginia Gazette made by the CEO at the time, David Shively, John Holt, III and Mr. Ronald Holt, comparing it to the Great Wolf Lodge which by the way only took about 18 months to build instead of the 5 years with the resort, and still counting! If they invested over $1 million into preparations for future amenities, don’t you think you would see more than what you see there now? Whose money is he really referring to? His or yours?
2. The developer will not be finishing the project. So far for the past 5 years, it has proven to be true! If the developer has invested tens of millions of dollars, think about it, would they have at least have furniture in the newest building which is now going on a couple of years old. This is the building that is behind the swimming pool! Wow! Is that the best way to spend millions? Please forgive me if I don’t cry with you about what the down economy has done to bring the progress to a holt when the promises were made in 2005 for completion by 2007, a full year before the bottom fell out on the economy. Try again. Yet, this still does not stop them from pitching it today as if it will be done by the end of this year. Mr. Holt claims with his last sentence in his second point so eloquently that the project hasn’t proceeded at the anticipated pace due to the economic conditions like it only hurt them and not you. Take a look at the new target date for constructing YOUR water park….the earliest possible date. Still no end in site!
3. The definition of insanity is to do the same think over and over and expect different results. The only thing I agree with Mr. Holt on is to look at your options and educate yourself now. Lord knows he didn’t give you that opportunity on the day you made your purchase. Charter Members. Think about this families, how many dollars have you contributed to that tens of millions of dollars and what do you have to show for it? How many nice vacations could you have taken with the money you spent for half of a resort with nothing to give you but excuses? Why did it take a third party, as Mr. Holt likes to refer to, to make him send you this half hearted update? All good questions right? Don’t let him convince you to avoid finding the truth, finally.

This is new information and I know someone that can help us get results. Email me for details at butta_pecan001@yahoo.com

My wife and I have been seriously considering, for over a year now, making some kind of brightly colored 'sandwich board' or beach bag that states, "This is the only "water park" you are ever going to see!" as we purposefully go to lounge by the pool and enjoy our CHARTER membership. They take EVERY potential owner to look at the pool. People would surely be dissuaded. If not, there could also be a URL available on the board or beach bag that points them to this message board. My only question is... can they keep us from doing that? If enough of us took shifts and set up a picket station WHILE we enjoyed our legally purchased amenities, we could have owners on site during every hour that they tour. We could even donate funds to have flyers and business cards printed to distribute to people BEFORE they drive onto the property, warning them of the sales pitch and broken promises that we have all experienced.

I would also like to add that this has been going on a lot longer than 2005. I toured that time share back around the late 1990's whenever the original building was constructed. They were under a different ownership and I avoided a purchase at that time. But in 2006 when I was remarried, my wife and I bought the sales pitch and purchased with hopes of enjoying this great water park and property. We only live in Hampton. I remember asking them at the time WHY there had not been more development of the property since my initial tour. They claimed to be NEW owners and assured me that the water park would be complete in short order.

Now, the economy has forced us into bankruptsy and I had the opportunity to get out of my purchase. I did not take it, only because we do use our Interval exchange and wanted to keep a vacation property. We also owned at Kings Creek but let that one go. I think we made a bad choice in hindsight. So I am on board to help in any way I can.

My wife and I are also unhappy cc owners. Hoping to take my nieces and nephews to the waterpark and our future children together we fell into this stupid scam in 09. About a week ago I recieved a letter about anybody that doesnt pay their payments due to the rumors spreading about no building permits will be sent to the credit bureau. Also it said that the rumors were about a colonial crossing (without an s) which is also in virginia. I thought they were full of crap when I read it. Tonight I recieved a call from a company that says they are trying to get 200 owners together to get a lawsuit going because to the breach of contract for the water park. Has anybody else gotten a call about this?

Hi. I was just contacted tonight by a company talking about having 171 clients of CC that are part of a class action lawsuit. Has anyone esle been contacted?

Thats probably the same company that called me. I just dont understand why they are doing what they are doing. What do they get from helping us sue colonial crossings? After buying from colonial crossings im trying to be alot more apprehenisive on where I throw my information and money.

After checking out their website I see that they are booking agents. They probably got shafted as well. If they book Colonial Crossing for thier clients based on the same lies we were told they lost money as well. Plus the client and any referrals that client might would have given them. I'm going to meet with them later on this month. They said they have a attorney on board and they have contacted other families that are interested in the suit. I understand being cautious. I am to because you just don't know who to trust and this new territory. Whatever info they give me when I meet with them I am going to take to another lawyer just to make sure it holds water. I don't want to get screwed twice.