SWANTON — Big Sandy Campground’s expected ownership transfer this fall has prompted Metroparks Toledo to acquire 113 acres of adjacent land in the Oak Openings corridor for hiking and other light recreation.
Alicia Lawson, a Toledo native who co-owns a local family-owned business called Superior Made, told The Blade in an interview Tuesday that she and her husband, fellow Toledo native Nathan Lawson, have an agreement in place to purchase Big Sandy for $1.3 million. Closing is expected in October.
Superior Made RV Resort , the campground’s future name, will be owned and operated by the couple and other family members. The two are longtime RV enthusiasts who built and operated Time Away RV Resort in Lincoln, Ala., a few years ago.
The Lawsons sold the Alabama property after they made the decision to move back to Toledo.
They own a few downtown buildings from 415-421 Michigan St. that they lease out as office space under the name Superior Made Spaces .
The Lawsons have more than two decades of experience managing residential and commercial properties.
The existing campground will get about $650,000 in upgrades, many of them phased in starting in 2026.
Those are to include a swimming pool, Wi-Fi, cabins, glamping tents, tennis court, volleyball court, two new bathhouses, kayaking, upgraded 50-amp electric service to accommodate big rigs, future plans to offer city sewage, and much more.
“We expect it will be done in phases,” Ms. Lawson said.
The campground is a seasonal recreational park that closes in October. The Lawsons plan to reopen it under their company name on March 1, she said.
Ms. Lawson said she was inspired to get back into the business of running an RV park again after hearing Metroparks Toledo Executive Director Dave Zenk talk about the park district’s investments in downtown with the Glass City Metropark and the five-mile Glass City Riverwalk project during a recent luncheon speech.
Her discussion with Mr. Zenk during that luncheon led to a partnership on the Oak Openings project.
Metroparks is using a $818,944 Clean Ohio Fund grant to acquire and protect 113 acres of land adjacent to the Big Sandy Campground. The purchase includes more than 70 acres of high-quality habitat, some of it listed as globally imperiled, according to a Metroparks news release.
The plan Metroparks has laid out for its future property includes a trail connection from the campground to Oak Openings Preserve Metropark and public access to property adjacent to the campground, including a lake for fishing and boating.
The campground is along South Berkey Southern Road.
Superior Made said in a news release that it will offer 195 refurbished RV sites, with 60 percent for seasonal campers and 40 percent for temporary or nightly guests.
Current seasonal campers will not have to pay more in 2025, but there will be increases phased in over five years after that. The company said its goal “is to concentrate on retention of great campers.”
Mr. Zenk said the project is “an opportunity for us to continue our important work of preserving natural areas in a corridor through the Oak Openings Region while partnering with an experienced local family to carry on a tradition of camping in this beautiful area of Lucas County.”
“After meeting the Lawson family, learning about their background, and seeing their plans, I know we picked the right partner,” he said.
The family is proud of its military service.
Mr. Lawson and his son, Terrance, are retired U.S. Army veterans. The couple’s daughter, Shirley, is retired from the U.S. Navy.
Ms. Lawson said she grew up in one of Toledo’s rougher housing projects. She worked hard, went to college, and had a career in pharmaceutical sales and marketing. Her husband is a former owner of an interstate trucking business.
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