DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — What began as one man's dream is now a reality, brought to life ten years later by the Hocker brothers in honor of their late father.
- Camp Door County Celebrates its grand opening with ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday
- Brothers Chris and Matt Hocker share what it took to turn their father's dream into a reality
- Campers at Camp Door County are already embracing the experience
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
The Camp Door County campgrounds held a soft opening over Memorial Day weekend, but Saturday marks the official grand opening of the new facility.
Getting to this point, the Hocker brothers say, was anything but easy.
"It was a lot the last six months, not only emotionally but physically," Chris Hocker, the owner of Camp Door County said.
COME WITH NBC26 TO THE GRAND OPENING OF CAMP DOOR COUNTY, WHERE WE GOT TO MEET THE HOCKER BROTHERS:
Brothers Chris and Matt Hocker are bringing their late father Pat’s dream of an RV and motor home park to life. Over three and a half years, the pair poured in their blood, sweat, and tears to create 77 slots now ready to welcome campers, RVs and motor home visitors, all in honor of their dad.
"He just really wanted to share this property with as many people as he possibly could. Not only people he didn't know, but his family," Matt Hocker said.
Their dad, Pat, who died last year, first dreamed of creating the campground 10 years ago. At the time, the plan was still in its early stages and the Village of Liberty Grove didn’t approve the project. His sons, who had moved to Green Bay as adults, returned home to Door County five years ago to bring that dream to life.
"We told him we’re gonna go for it, or we’re just not gonna talk about it ever again," Chris Hocker said.
After hiring engineers to ensure the project was properly designed and met all necessary requirements, the Village of Liberty Grove approved the plan. The father and sons trio broke ground in 2021.
But, in November 2024, while the campground was still under construction, Pat suddenly died from a heart attack.
Despite the heartbreak of Pat's death, on Saturday, the Hocker brothers officially fulfilled their father's dream.
"We were up here last Fall Fest driving around and saw [a sign which read] 'New campground coming soon 2025,'" camper Nancy DeLuca said. DeLuca and her family have been visiting Door County for the past three decades. She says Camp Door County offers a new space with all the amenities and room their family needs, just like Pat Hocker had hoped for.
"Now that we started to camp here, and we see how open it is and just the sites and everything, I think we’ll definitely be back here more times," DeLuca said.
Though the grounds close in October, the brothers hope to expand in the near future, continuing to share their father's dream with as many people as possible.
