Company Description
The Iron Lantern is the proposed operating brand for the acquisition and phased development of the existing managed whitetail ranch at 1125 Chaput Drive in Sears, Michigan. The business will preserve land and hunting operations while adding practical four-season guest revenue.
Mission and vision
Help guests build confidence outdoors through safe hunting, camping, water recreation, education and thoughtful technology.
A distinctive Iron Lantern destination where land stewardship, unusual lodging, outdoor AR and approachable robotics create repeat visits without overwhelming the natural setting.
Business identity
| Operating brand | The Iron Lantern |
|---|---|
| Parent theme | Lantern Innovations; final legal ownership and operating entities to be confirmed with lender, counsel and tax advisors |
| Location | 1125 Chaput Drive, Sears, Michigan 49679; boundaries and acreage subject to survey/title verification |
| Current use | Operational managed whitetail hunting ranch under minimal seller-family management |
| Proposed transaction | Asset/property acquisition with a modeled lender-supported real-estate price near $2.012 million, subject to appraisal, diligence and final structure; absolute price ceiling $2.5 million |
| Owner commitment | Up to $1 million of owner investment, allocated between equity, opening capital, closing costs and reserves as the final loan structure requires |
Core business model
- Foundation: managed hunts, guide/stay packages and separately tracked trophy or harvest fees.
- Opening expansion: 40 campsites, aqua-park parking and timed sessions, pavilion, vending, gate/check-in and watercraft rentals.
- Inside-the-gate spend: firewood, ice, equipment, fishing/outdoor guides, group programming and merchandise.
- Measured growth: RVs, specialty cabin, backcountry/group camping, disc golf and expanded rentals.
- Later differentiation: container/caboose/fuselage lodging, winter group space, ropes course, forestry digital twin, outdoor AR and robotics experiences.
Ownership, management and staffing
The final borrower, real-estate holding company and operating company structure remains to be documented. At closing, management must establish clear authority for finance, herd/hunting, guest operations, facilities and safety. Initial staffing should match booked capacity and use qualified seasonal personnel and licensed/insured specialists where required.
| Role | Primary accountability |
|---|---|
| Owner/CEO | Strategy, lender relationship, capital allocation, partnerships and phase gates |
| General manager | P&L, daily operating mode, compliance calendar, staffing and service quality |
| Herd and hunting lead | Animal records, fence/biosecurity, guide standards, hunt zones and harvest-fee controls |
| Guest operations lead | Camping, aqua park, groups, reservations, arrival, rentals and guest recovery |
| Facilities and safety lead | Roads, utilities, water access, inspections, maintenance, emergency readiness and logs |
Acquisition and transition priorities
- Obtain full access to all buildings, records, utilities, equipment, herd and fence systems before the diligence period expires.
- Verify title, survey, access, zoning, environmental constraints, water/wastewater, building condition, permits, insurance and seller obligations.
- Document transferable bookings, deposits, customer consents, vendor agreements, names, domains, photos and operating records.
- Close in spring only with enough schedule and capital to complete the 40-site campground and aqua-park opening package safely.
- Preserve existing hunt bookings while physically separating construction and guest activities from hunting and animal operations.
Objectives
Complete the controlled spring takeover; open compliant camping and aqua operations; meet Year 1 revenue and cash-flow milestones; maintain a lender reporting package; protect a working-capital floor; and release later phases only after safety, demand, contribution margin and DSCR thresholds are met.
Planning framework only. Entity names, ownership, management resumes, address facts, acreage, transaction structure and licenses require documentary verification.