07/26/2026
Hi everyone! Update on Nelson's campground
As part of the ongoing mission to protect our local watershed and fight unchecked overdevelopment, we need to bring a major corporate real estate transaction to your attention.
The 165.2-acre Nelson's Family Campground and associated lakeside property at 71 Mott Hill Road recently sold for $9.52 million.
To understand what this means for East Hampton, it is important to look at the corporate entities trading this land and the wider pattern of their acquisitions.
•The Seller: Castle Park Investments
•The property was sold by an affiliate of Castle Park Investments.
•The firm was founded by former Wall Street professionals with experience trading Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities.
•Their primary business model focuses on acquiring niche real estate, specifically manufactured housing communities and RV resorts.
•The firm operates out of offices in New York and Miami Beach.
The Buyer: Camber Creek
•The new owner is an affiliate of Camber Creek.
•Camber Creek is a private equity firm with offices in New York, Washington D.C., and Palm Beach.
•The firm focuses on "innovative," real estate-related companies and cash-flowing real estate investments.
The Bigger Picture: The Wolf's Den Acquisition
Nelson's Family Campground was not an isolated purchase. On the exact same day (June 24), an affiliate of Camber Creek also purchased the 35.6-acre Wolf's Den Family Campground in neighboring East Haddam for $7.5 million. The seller for that property was also Castle Park Investments.
Acquiring multiple regional properties like Nelson's (which features around 300 sites) and Wolf's Den signals a clear private equity portfolio "roll-up" strategy. To maximize revenue and cash flow, these firms frequently seek to expand transient sites, pour larger concrete pads, and increase visitor traffic.
The Zoning Reality
The Nelson's property is currently zoned R-3 (residential). The campground operates strictly as a pre-existing, non-conforming use. This means these private equity firms do not have a blank check to build whatever they want. Any attempt to expand the footprint of the concrete pads, pave new roads, or enlarge the existing buildings will require special permits from our local Planning and Zoning Commission.
The Threat to Lake Pocotopaug
This property sits directly within the Lake Pocotopaug watershed. Adding more impervious surfaces inevitably means a higher risk of stormwater runoff carrying phosphorus and nitrogen into the lake. This creates an instant feeding ground for cyanobacteria and drives the harmful algae blooms we battle every summer.
Right now, the Town of East Hampton is updating its 2026 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). This is our immediate opportunity to demand that strict phosphorus loading and stormwater runoff mitigation standards be preemptively applied to high-traffic commercial properties in the watershed.
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