WELK Group

In 1964, Lawrence Welk went for a drive in the country N of San Diego, California planning to invest in a grove of orange trees. Instead he bought a motel and a nine-hole golf course. After Welk staged one of his shows at the site, it became a popular tourist spot and grew to include a theatre, more golf and eventually timeshare. Today, the Welk Group operates Interval International (II) premier timeshare properties in Escondido, Palm Springs and Cabo San Lucas, as well as a theatre and Resort Hotel in Branson.