NAPPANEE - Cedar Point is a destination for many people during the spring and summer.

Beginning this season, those who want to stay overnight at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, will have the option of staying at Lighthouse Point, Cedar Point's new camping accommodations at Camper Village.

Breckenridge Park Trailers, a division of Damon Corp., Nappanee, was chosen by Cedar Point to produce 60 12-foot-wide park trailers for Lighthouse Point. Fifty of them will be "cottages" and 10 will be "cabins."

Terry Ross, AIA, architect, planning and design division, Cedar Point, met Breckenridge's regional sales manager, John Soard, at a trade show in San Antonio, Texas. Breckenridge was invited to bid on the project along with two to three other manufacturers. Breckenridge was selected.

Many of the park trailers are already completed and in place and Ross said Cedar Point management is "extremely happy" with them. "The quality is there ... they're a good company to work with."

What is good about working with Breckenridge, Ross said, is that Breckenridge custom-designed the trailers.

He also said 65 percent of the park trailers are already reserved for the upcoming season.

Breckenridge Director of Engineering Robert A. Phillips said Cedar Point wants all 60 of the park trailers by May 1. "They have the bulk of them already there," said Phillips. The contract was signed in November and production of the park trailers began earlier this year.

Breckenridge is a 10-year-old company and Phillips said they've come a long way in that 10 years. They have approximately 120 employees.

"It's been said," Phillips said, "we're the No. 1 manufacturer of park trailers in the world."

As production of the park trailers took place, Phillips said, "Cedar Point had two different floor plans in mind. We had to alter that a little bit but we built them about exactly like they wanted it."

The plans were very detailed, Phillips said. "It's been challenging. It's been a lot of fun."

Each park trailer will have a deck looking toward Lake Erie and a grill to encourage outdoor cooking. The trailers will have air conditioning, too. Three of the trailers will meet ADA requirements.

The park trailers and the campground, he said, will have a "nautical" look.

According to a press release from Cedar Point, Lighthouse Point is part of a $14 million capital investment program for the 2001 season. Lighthouse Point will be on 15 acres of lakeside real estate on the west bank of the Cedar Point Peninsula near the lighthouse and adjacent to the original RV campground.

The camping community will consist of 50 cottages, 10 cabins and 59 luxury RV campsites. Each cottage will sleep up to six people with a double bed, futon and bunk bed; each cabin will accommodate at least eight guests with a double bed, two futons and sleeping space for children in a loft. Each camper also will include a microwave, refrigerator, two televisions with cable, telephones and an outdoor grill.

Lighthouse Point also will offer an outdoor pool, recreation area with shuffleboard and badminton, arcade and pier.

The success of the program, Phillips said, is due to everyone involved. He credits "the people on the production line" because if you don't have good people building them, it will show.

"I feel like a lot of the credit goes to the people who come in day after day and build the product. That's why we're No. 1 in manufacturing," said Phillips.

Of Cedar Point, Phillips said, "They seem like a first class company to deal with."

For more information about Cedar Point or Breckenridge, log on to www.CedarPoint.com or www.DamonRV.com [[In-content Ad]]