ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — Along the Mississippi River, Lee Crockett found the perfect piece of land to build his business.
“We've got this quaint little pond,” Crockett said.
He opened Glamping St. Louis in 2016.
“It's really a luxury camping experience,” Crockett said. “Our safari tents have king beds; they're air-conditioned.”
Crockett had six campsites with either Airstream trailers or safari tents. Only one site remains. The rest have been ruined by flood waters.
“I've had to cancel thousands and thousands in reservations. Because of the floods, we can’t get in,” Crockett said.
Crockett can only access his property by boat. He checks on it every day. There is little else he can do.
“A flood is not a like a tornado when the week after a tornado, everyone goes back to work rebuilding,” Crockett said. “We're still in the flood.”
Crockett is also waiting for the federal government to approve the state’s request for disaster funds.
“We can't move forward without a disaster declaration,” Crockett said. “Even talking to my bank, they're not going to loan me money if I’m flooded because they can't see the end.”
Because even though Crockett’s business is about luxury, he said he is ready to work hard and rebuild.
“Everybody that has a business along the river is suffering right now,” he said.