Last month at the Vermont Captive Insurance Association conference, there was talk of a new location for the annual conference in 2012. The conference has taken place in Burlington, Vt. for more than 25 years now.

VCIA board members said at a press conference that the association was considering moving the venue in 2012 to Stowe, Vt., some 45 minutes away. The motive, they said, was to feature a different part of the state.

I can see several reasons for wanting to do this. For one, there were three conferences going on simultaneously in Burlington, including VCIA. That meant restaurants and hotels were booked and fewer rental cars were available. I can also understand why other parts of the state would want some of the action. Stowe, a well known ski area, has the facilities, but not the crowds during the summer months when VCIA is held.

Another is that the VCIA conference is bursting at the seams. Already, the dining area is set up in a large tent (not complaining, I like the open, airy atmosphere). In fact, this year, the keynoter—the co- founder of the “Life is Good” company—gave his presentation in the tent.

And efforts to expand to the nearby UVM campus have been so-so. It's a bit of a hike in hot weather, meaning that busses much be relied upon. From what I understand, Stowe's facilities offer similar space, but are configured differently, which VCIA said would make the location more accommodating.

At any rate, there are a few drawbacks as well. There is no airport in Stowe, meaning people would still fly into the Burlington airport and would then be bussed to Stowe. This could work, but conference attendees arrive throughout the day and evening—and sometimes much later when there is a storm causing flight delays. Renting a car is an option—again, providing enough cars are available.

I also heard from a local vendor that this would mean fewer staff would be able to attend. With the current setup, the vendor said, employees that live in the Burlington area can work at the company's booth during the day. The commute to Stowe, however, would rule this out as more staff would have to stay overnight.

So while there are a few drawbacks, as I said, there are advantages. A change of venue wouldn't be a bad thing and who could complain about spending time in a beautiful area like Stowe? I am confident the VCIA staff and board will think of every plus and minus before making their final decision.

Any other thoughts on the potential location anyone?

Special Reports /

Burlington Or Stowe for VCIA In 2012?

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