Blue Water’s Upstream Podcast Features Rob Schutter
Ocean City, MD (April 9, 2026) — Blue Water, an outdoor hospitality investment, development, and management company, released a landmark new episode for the Upstream Podcast featuring Rob Schutter. The recently retired president of Camp Jellystone, the Cincinnati-based franchisor behind Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp Resorts. Hosted by Rafael Correa, President and CFO of Blue Water, the episode marks the most comprehensive public conversation Schutter has ever given, as he prepares to close out a 37-year career with the organization.
“It’s the experience, stupid. They sleep for eight hours out of the day — we have 16 other hours to fill.” — Rob Schutter, Retired President, Camp Jellystone
About the Upstream Episode
Schutter joined what was then Leisure Systems, Inc. in August 1989 at the age of 29. He stepped into an industry still dominated by pen-and-paper reservation systems and family-run operations. Over the next 37 years, he guided the Jellystone Park franchise from 15 properties to 75+ independently owned and operated locations across 27 U.S. states. During his tenure, Camp Jellystone achieved 16 consecutive years of record revenue growth before post-pandemic normalization.
In this episode, Correa and Schutter trace the full arc of the outdoor hospitality industry’s transformation. From the mom-and-pop campground era of the late 1980s through the explosive growth of glamping cabins, water amenities, and family experience that define the category today. Schutter speaks candidly about the early decision to cut nearly a third of the Jellystone franchise system to protect brand integrity, the infrastructure he built from scratch — including the Yogi Advisory Council, the Club Yogi Rewards loyalty program, a national gift card system, and a centralized reservations platform — and what he sees as the industry’s most pressing challenges ahead.
“Rob hasn’t written a book yet. He hasn’t hosted a podcast,” said Correa. “His public voice has lived almost entirely in trade press and franchise communications. What you’re about to hear is in many ways the most in-depth public conversation he’s ever had.”
Click here to watch the full conversation
Key Topics Covered
- Rebuilding Jellystone from 15 to 75+ locations — the brand-integrity decisions and franchise culture that made it possible
- The amenity evolution — from primitive tent cabins to full-service vacation rentals, spray grounds, jumping pillows, foam parties, and laser tag
- COVID as a catalyst — how outdoor hospitality captured a new generation of non-traditional campers
- Post-pandemic normalization and the road ahead — pricing pressures, insurance rates, and the case for refocusing on the core blue-collar family market
- Industry association advocacy — Schutter’s 15 years on the ARVC/OHI board, including his 2012–2013 chairmanship, and why engagement matters
- Leadership philosophy — “I don’t know what I don’t know” and why nurturing enthusiasm matters more than perfecting the playbook
About Rob Schutter
Rob Schutter studied management and marketing at the University of Cincinnati before joining Leisure Systems, Inc., now Camp Jellystone, in 1989. Over nearly four decades, he rose to the presidency and led the Jellystone Park franchise through its acquisition by Sun Outdoors (a subsidiary of Sun Communities, a publicly traded REIT), in December 2021 and continued as president through the transition.
Schutter served two separate terms on the ARVC/OHI board of directors spanning 15 years, including as chairman in 2012 and 2013. He has served on the OHI Foundation board since 2014 and simultaneously served as president of Cincinnati’s Coney Island amusement park from 2016 to 2021. Schutter is the recipient of the ARVC Stan Martin Award (1999), ARVC Chairman’s Award (2003), ARVC Pioneer Award (2014), and the OHI Unity Through Generosity Award (2025). He retired in March 2026 as one of the longest-tenured executives in outdoor hospitality history.
About the Upstream Podcast
Upstream is Blue Water’s podcast dedicated to giving outdoor hospitality owners and operators direct access to the leaders and innovators shaping the space. Hosted by Rafael Correa, the show is built on a simple belief: a better-informed industry is better for everyone. As the saying goes, a high tide raises all ships.
About Blue Water
Blue Water is an outdoor hospitality investment, development, and management company with more than 15 years of industry experience. The company partners with owners, investors, and operators to create high-performing, guest-focused properties across the RV park, campground, and glamping sectors. To learn more about Blue Water, visit bwdc.com.