Firm plans LV dealership

Tuesday, March 5, 2002 | 9:44 a.m.

A struggling recreational vehicle and boat dealership chain hopes a proposed Las Vegas location will help improve its bottom line.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based Recreation USA plans to enter the Nevada market this summer when it completes the purchase of a site at 4000 Boulder Highway that formerly housed Steve Austin Motor Homes Sales. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Recreation USA's parent company, Holiday RV Superstores, cited the national recession as a factor in its reported net loss of $16.6 million for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31. 2001. It recently closed four locations in Florida for poor performance.

Recreation USA announced last week it had received $3.5 million in private financing to support new development. The company hopes the Las Vegas dealership will strengthen its sales on the West Coast, said Marcus Lemonis, chairman and chief executive officer.

Recreation USA currently operates 11 dealerships in seven states, including two sites in California. It is the nation's only publicly traded recreational vehicle and marine dealership chain.