It was two years in the making, but the Family Motor Coach Association’s 2012 Northwest Rally proved to be a great success for the national organization and The Mill Casino • Hotel & RV Park as well as the Oregon communities of North Bend, Coos Bay and Charleston.

With many of its members arriving early and staying for nearly a week, the FMCA rally attracted over 1,200 participants in 497 family coaches, making it the association’s largest rally in the last five years. Another 40 vendor coaches and 60 show coaches made The Mill’s bayside property a focal point for motor coach enthusiasts.

“Everybody had a really good time,” said Andy Balogh, National Vice President of the Northwest Area FMCA, “everything went great. The staff was attentive and the facility is great. Usually, the first time [at a new facility] it doesn’t run well.”

It was a weekend of firsts for the Association and The Mill Casino. It was the first time The Mill hosted an RV event of this size, and it was the first time that the FMCA held its Northwest Rally on the coast. Any doubts about the location were quickly erased.

“I would book here again,” Balogh said. “It’s a good draw and a good location. We usually try to stay close to I-5, but I don’t know of anybody who complained about the drive here. If people come here once, they will remember and they will come back.”

Rally participants also took advantage of the area’s coastal attractions and offerings. Area businesses and restaurants had noticeable increases in customers throughout the event period. Balogh noted that he received many comments from rally participants about how well they were treated by area residents. “It’s a breath of fresh air when people want you to be there,” he said.

The end of the event brought talk of the “next time” and what adjustments could be made to make the event even better.

“In the future,” Balogh said, “we can tell our people that we can go here because we like the facility and the staff knows what they are doing. They make it a great experience for our members.”

Here are some of our photos from the event: