[Vision2020] Life on Wheels, Dead at the U-I

Tue Mar 11 16:11:56 PDT 2008

Seems to me it wasn't quite as simple as Mues paints it. And how sad it's gone.  It was a great event.  One that the U of I should have been doing whatever it could to keep. It was a benefit both to the community and the University--the kind of educational endeavor that should be encouraged.

Sue H. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ellen Roskovich 
  To: lfalen ; bjswan at moscow.com ; 'v2020' 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 12:18 PM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Life on Wheels, Dead at the U-I

  Losing this yearly event is a terrible blow to the business community.  I always looked forward to seeing those RV's roll down Sixth Street every July.  Business picked up immediately and they were a fun group to chat with.  Really great crowd.  I hope Moscow can get them back.

  Ellen A. Roskovich

  > Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:58:13 -0700
  > From: lfalen at turbonet.com
  > To: bjswan at moscow.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
  > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Life on Wheels, Dead at the U-I
  > 
  > Right on, B. J.
  > Roger
  > -----Original message-----
  > From: "B. J. Swanson" bjswan at moscow.com
  > Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2008 08:02:54 -0800
  > To: "'v2020'" vision2020 at moscow.com
  > Subject: [Vision2020] Life on Wheels, Dead at the U-I
  > 
  > > How much more negative publicity can the U-I and Lloyd Mues generate before
  > > the U-I administration gets a clue. And we wonder why student enrollment
  > > and everything else at the U-I is spiraling downward. The last sentence
  > > says it all. 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > B. J. Swanson
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > RV Life on Wheels Conference takes its business elsewhere
  > > 
  > > 
  > > Annual conference will take place at Lewis-Clark State College instead of UI
  > > 
  > > 
  > > By Hadley Rush, Daily News staff writer
  > > 
  > > Saturday, March 8, 2008 - Page Updated at 12:00:00 AM
  > > 
  > > An event that has annually brought an estimated 400 people and $500,000 to
  > > Moscow for the past 13 years will take place in Lewiston this summer.
  > > 
  > > The RV Life on Wheels Conference is scheduled for July 6-11 on the
  > > Lewis-Clark State College campus. The event previously took place at the
  > > University of Idaho, but organizers opted to seek a new location because of
  > > a contractual discrepancy with the UI, according to a LCSC news release.
  > > 
  > > Moscow Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Darrell Keim said local
  > > businesses looked to the event for an economic boost during a slow time of
  > > the year.
  > > 
  > > "That is unfortunate," Keim said. "I know it's been a big" economic boost.
  > > 
  > > Lloyd Mues, UI vice president for finance and administration, said the
  > > conference simply didn't renew its contract with UI.
  > > 
  > > "We would love to keep Life on Wheels in the Moscow-Pullman area, and at the
  > > same time we do have to follow certain protocols when it comes to contract
  > > arrangements," he said. "As public stewards we can't allow an operation to
  > > occur on UI property without a contract. This year we just didn't have a
  > > contract."
  > > 
  > > Mues said there was no fallout between UI and Life on Wheels.
  > > 
  > > "There was no debate, there was no arguing over anything, it just boiled
  > > down to we have to get it on paper and it didn't happen," he said. "We look
  > > forward to the potential of having them back again next year, but we'll
  > > see."
  > > 
  > > Gaylord Maxwell, founder and director of the Life on Wheels conferences,
  > > stated in a news release sent to the Daily News on Friday that the event was
  > > founded at the UI as a joint venture between himself and the university's
  > > now-defunct community enrichment program in 1996.
  > > 
  > > In addition to the UI, four other college campuses around the United States
  > > host the event each year.
  > > 
  > > This year, the conference in Lewiston will offer more than 100 seminars to
  > > RV travelers from across the nation, many of which will be presented by
  > > authors of RV books and magazines.
  > > 
  > > Courses include RV cooking ideas, how to work from the road while traveling,
  > > prime RV travel locations, how to park an RV and how to properly repair and
  > > maintain one.
  > > 
  > > Maxwell stated that he's disheartened the conference won't be in Moscow this
  > > year.
  > > 
  > > "Moscow has been my 'hometown' for many years ... the attendees at our
  > > conferences have enjoyed the friendly reception merchants have given them
  > > and they've appreciated the barbecue the chamber of commerce provided every
  > > year," he stated. "And I and the staff of Life on Wheels have enjoyed and
  > > appreciated the wonderful assistance we have received from many of the UI
  > > staff. It is with regret that we must leave."
  > > 
  > > Keim said local grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and even hardware stores
  > > will suffer a loss now that the conference will be in Lewiston. Any time an
  > > event as significant as Life on Wheels stops coming to a town there's bound
  > > to be decreased economic activity, he added.
  > > 
  > > "Especially tourists (who) come with money to spend," Keim said. "I don't
  > > know about you, but when I go on a vacation I bring money (planning to)
  > > spend it there."
  > > 
  > > Keim said he hopes the event's relocation won't have a detrimental effect on
  > > local businesses, although he said that's a likely outcome.
  > > 
  > > "It could have a fairly substantial impact."
  > > 
  > > LCSC President Dene Thomas said the campus and Lewiston community are
  > > looking forward to the conference.
  > > 
  > > "I am very excited about the RV Life on Wheels coming to Lewis-Clark State
  > > College," Thomas said. "We will be able to highlight our wonderful college
  > > with its beautiful campus."
  > > 
  > > Thomas said Lewiston will benefit greatly from the flood of vacationers who
  > > will be traveling to the area.
  > > 
  > > "The RV people will substantially benefit the local economy with purchases
  > > of everything from gas and food to souvenirs and memorabilia," she said.
  > > 
  > > Thomas said the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers make an ideal
  > > setting for travelers to "stop, rest, and learn about the area."
  > > 
  > > "I plan to greet each and every one personally and welcome them to the
  > > valley," Thomas said.
  > > 
  > > --------------------------
  > > 
  > > Hadley Rush can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by e-mail at
  > > hrush at dnews.com.
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > > 
  > 
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