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Kozy Kampground, located at 5134 It's It Road in Celina, has been sold to RiverWest Partners.
CELINA - Kozy Kampground has been sold to RiverWest Partners, a Columbus-based team of real estate investors and developers that promises to carry on the campground's relaxed, friendly atmosphere while at once bringing new energy and improvements to the 54.8-acre lakeside site.
The announcement was made on Kozy Kampground's Facebook page earlier this week.
RiverWest Partners, among other things, invests in and reimagines outdoor destinations, making RV campgrounds and marinas places people return to year after year to make lasting memories, its website states.
It owns five other campgrounds in Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to the social media post.
"First, we want to express our appreciation for everything that has already been built here," the post reads. "From our first visit and discussions with Buzz, DeDe, and the entire Goodwin family and team, it has been clear that community, family, and providing a sense of belonging is central to what defines this campground."
Kozy Kampground currently maintains 700 seasonal and overnight sites, private cottages, a pond, a play area, a bathhouse, a boat ramp, docks, a restaurant, a recreation hall and a swimming pool.
The campground had been owned by William and Margaret Ann Goodwin for decades, noted their daughter, Sandy Mast of Celina. William Goodwin died July 18, 2013, and Margaret Ann Goodwin died Nov. 11, 2024.
The couple had two other children, William "Buzz" Goodwin and Edward "Ted" Goodwin.
Mast said neither she nor Ted were involved with the sale of Kozy Kampground, but recalled fond memories of working there alongside her father. She later managed the campgrounds for several years.
"I've got great memories there. My brother Ted and I worked for our dad for years and years," she told The Daily Standard. "We both have great memories working with Dad and I hope that it will continue to be what Dad envisioned it to be, which was a great family place for people to come."
Kozy Kampground currently maintains 700 seasonal and overnight sites, private cottages, a pond, a play area, a bathhouse, a boat ramp, docks, a restaurant, a recreation hall and a swimming pool.
Kozy Kampground LLC sold the campground to Kozy Camping Resort LLC on Nov. 10, Mercer County Auditor's Office online records show. No sale price was listed, but the property was appraised at $666,170 in 2024.
Situated on the southwest edge of Grand Lake at 5134 It's It Road, Celina, the campground boasts about 700 seasonal and overnight sites, private cottages, a pond, a play area, a bathhouse, a boat ramp, docks, a restaurant, a recreation hall, a swimming pool and other amenities, a site map shows.
RiverWest Partners said it recognizes that the loyal campers are the heart and soul of Kozy Kampground and that it intends to honor that ethos in everything it does. John Collins, who reportedly has more than 20 years of experience running campgrounds, resorts and family attractions across the Midwest and East Coast, was named area manager "overseeing Kozy."
"He is passionate about creating fun, well-run communities where guests feel at home and staff take pride in what they do. He looks forward to meeting you all soon," the post reads.
In the coming months, RiverWest Partners said it plans to make improvements focused on enhancing campers' experience, including updates to the common area amenities, infrastructure and other general items throughout the campground.
"All existing agreements remain in place. We will communicate with you in advance of your renewal period of any changes in terms or rates - we are not anticipating any drastic changes in the business but instead carrying forward and building on the legacy of Kozy Kampground," the post reads.
