In 1964, Lawrence Welk went for a drive in the country north of San Diego, California planning to invest in a grove of orange trees. Instead he bought a motel and a nine-hole golf course.
Today, the Welk Group operates Interval International (II) premier vacation home properties with theatre and golf in Escondido (north of San Diego), golf in Palm Springs, a luxury resort setting in Cabo San Lucas, as well as a theatre and Resort Hotel in Branson. These resorts have been honored with Gold Crown status by Resort Condominiums International, a major worldwide vacation exchange organization.