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

Tue Mar 11 15:18:29 PDT 2008

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.> > > > > > > > > > > > =======================================================> List services made available by First Step Internet, > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. > http://www.fsr.net > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com> =======================================================
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