Treasure Cove Casino and Hotel took down the signs prohibiting overnight camping on its property in response to a significant backlash from motorhome owners once word got out.
"Honestly, what happened after the article was run, we received overwhelming complaints from people all over B.C.," marketing manager Amanda Chandler said Monday in reference to a story the Citizen posted and printed in late June.
"Some of them saying they had incorporated Treasure Cove into their vacation plans and were going to take their business elsewhere."
So-called boondockers remain limited to 36 hours of parking on highway commercial property under a city bylaw passed in 2006 when the issue flared up at city council.
Local RV park owners want a complete ban on the practice, saying it amounts to unfair competition given they can't provide gambling at their locations. The owners depend heavily on seasonal traffic to making a living.
In an apparent gesture of goodwill, Treasure Cove had posted the signs at request of city staff, who in turn had heard complaints from the RV park owners. But the pressure that followed was too much, according to Chandler.
"We do try our best to make everybody happy but as we all know, that's virtually impossible," Chandler said.
She said a significant number of Treasure Cove customers are people traveling through by motorhome and many phone ahead to see if they can park overnight.
"They'll pull in at nine, 10 o'clock at night and then they'll come in here for a couple of hours and then they go and pack up in the morning and they're gone," Chandler said.
Initially happy with the move to post the signs, RV park owners were crestfallen when they were removed.
