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<STRONG>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.</STRONG><BR>
<STRONG></STRONG> <BR>
<STRONG>Ellen A. Roskovich</STRONG><BR>
<BR><BR>> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:58:13 -0700<BR>> From: lfalen@turbonet.com<BR>> To: bjswan@moscow.com; vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Life on Wheels, Dead at the U-I<BR>> <BR>> Right on, B. J.<BR>> Roger<BR>> -----Original message-----<BR>> From: "B. J. Swanson" bjswan@moscow.com<BR>> Date: Sat, 08 Mar 2008 08:02:54 -0800<BR>> To: "'v2020'" vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> Subject: [Vision2020] Life on Wheels, Dead at the U-I<BR>> <BR>> > How much more negative publicity can the U-I and Lloyd Mues generate before<BR>> > the U-I administration gets a clue. And we wonder why student enrollment<BR>> > and everything else at the U-I is spiraling downward. The last sentence<BR>> > says it all. <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > B. J. Swanson<BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > RV Life on Wheels Conference takes its business elsewhere<BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > Annual conference will take place at Lewis-Clark State College instead of UI<BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > By Hadley Rush, Daily News staff writer<BR>> > <BR>> > Saturday, March 8, 2008 - Page Updated at 12:00:00 AM<BR>> > <BR>> > An event that has annually brought an estimated 400 people and $500,000 to<BR>> > Moscow for the past 13 years will take place in Lewiston this summer.<BR>> > <BR>> > The RV Life on Wheels Conference is scheduled for July 6-11 on the<BR>> > Lewis-Clark State College campus. The event previously took place at the<BR>> > University of Idaho, but organizers opted to seek a new location because of<BR>> > a contractual discrepancy with the UI, according to a LCSC news release.<BR>> > <BR>> > Moscow Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Darrell Keim said local<BR>> > businesses looked to the event for an economic boost during a slow time of<BR>> > the year.<BR>> > <BR>> > "That is unfortunate," Keim said. "I know it's been a big" economic boost.<BR>> > <BR>> > Lloyd Mues, UI vice president for finance and administration, said the<BR>> > conference simply didn't renew its contract with UI.<BR>> > <BR>> > "We would love to keep Life on Wheels in the Moscow-Pullman area, and at the<BR>> > same time we do have to follow certain protocols when it comes to contract<BR>> > arrangements," he said. "As public stewards we can't allow an operation to<BR>> > occur on UI property without a contract. This year we just didn't have a<BR>> > contract."<BR>> > <BR>> > Mues said there was no fallout between UI and Life on Wheels.<BR>> > <BR>> > "There was no debate, there was no arguing over anything, it just boiled<BR>> > down to we have to get it on paper and it didn't happen," he said. "We look<BR>> > forward to the potential of having them back again next year, but we'll<BR>> > see."<BR>> > <BR>> > Gaylord Maxwell, founder and director of the Life on Wheels conferences,<BR>> > stated in a news release sent to the Daily News on Friday that the event was<BR>> > founded at the UI as a joint venture between himself and the university's<BR>> > now-defunct community enrichment program in 1996.<BR>> > <BR>> > In addition to the UI, four other college campuses around the United States<BR>> > host the event each year.<BR>> > <BR>> > This year, the conference in Lewiston will offer more than 100 seminars to<BR>> > RV travelers from across the nation, many of which will be presented by<BR>> > authors of RV books and magazines.<BR>> > <BR>> > Courses include RV cooking ideas, how to work from the road while traveling,<BR>> > prime RV travel locations, how to park an RV and how to properly repair and<BR>> > maintain one.<BR>> > <BR>> > Maxwell stated that he's disheartened the conference won't be in Moscow this<BR>> > year.<BR>> > <BR>> > "Moscow has been my 'hometown' for many years ... the attendees at our<BR>> > conferences have enjoyed the friendly reception merchants have given them<BR>> > and they've appreciated the barbecue the chamber of commerce provided every<BR>> > year," he stated. "And I and the staff of Life on Wheels have enjoyed and<BR>> > appreciated the wonderful assistance we have received from many of the UI<BR>> > staff. It is with regret that we must leave."<BR>> > <BR>> > Keim said local grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and even hardware stores<BR>> > will suffer a loss now that the conference will be in Lewiston. Any time an<BR>> > event as significant as Life on Wheels stops coming to a town there's bound<BR>> > to be decreased economic activity, he added.<BR>> > <BR>> > "Especially tourists (who) come with money to spend," Keim said. "I don't<BR>> > know about you, but when I go on a vacation I bring money (planning to)<BR>> > spend it there."<BR>> > <BR>> > Keim said he hopes the event's relocation won't have a detrimental effect on<BR>> > local businesses, although he said that's a likely outcome.<BR>> > <BR>> > "It could have a fairly substantial impact."<BR>> > <BR>> > LCSC President Dene Thomas said the campus and Lewiston community are<BR>> > looking forward to the conference.<BR>> > <BR>> > "I am very excited about the RV Life on Wheels coming to Lewis-Clark State<BR>> > College," Thomas said. "We will be able to highlight our wonderful college<BR>> > with its beautiful campus."<BR>> > <BR>> > Thomas said Lewiston will benefit greatly from the flood of vacationers who<BR>> > will be traveling to the area.<BR>> > <BR>> > "The RV people will substantially benefit the local economy with purchases<BR>> > of everything from gas and food to souvenirs and memorabilia," she said.<BR>> > <BR>> > Thomas said the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers make an ideal<BR>> > setting for travelers to "stop, rest, and learn about the area."<BR>> > <BR>> > "I plan to greet each and every one personally and welcome them to the<BR>> > valley," Thomas said.<BR>> > <BR>> > --------------------------<BR>> > <BR>> > Hadley Rush can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 239, or by e-mail at<BR>> > hrush@dnews.com.<BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> > <BR>> <BR>> =======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>> http://www.fsr.net <BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> =======================================================<BR><BR><br /><hr />Need to know the score, the latest news, or you need your HotmailŪ-get your "fix". <a href='http://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx' target='_new'>Check it out.</a></body>
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