Attendance at FMCA Indianapolis Convention

[85Eagle]

Anyone know about how many member coaches are there?

How about vendors are there as many as in some of the past conventions?

Just wanting a general idea as to the attendance to compare to past years.

[RVerOnTheMove]

Lots of vendors! You can see a list here.

http://www.fmca.com/...sting&Itemid=64

[85Eagle]

Thanks for the response but it is blank. All I am asking for is a general report of the attendance and vendors. That's not asking for much.

[wolfe10]

85 Eagle,

Good question. But, as you probably know FMCA staff is at the convention working 18 hours a day, as are most FMCA officers.

I am sure you will get an answer to your question, but right now they are knee deep in running the convention.

You might try the link Bill posted again-- at least right now, it came up.

Brett

[hermanmullins]

Brett, from what I hear, "Knee Deep" is and understatement.

[FMCANationalOffice]

We will post the coach count tomorrow morning.

Here's a nice picture of motorhomes at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. It was taken by one of the exhibitors.

[wolfe10]

Brett, from what I hear, "Knee Deep" is and understatement.

Herman,

Not sure I follow. Yes, it rained early Monday morning (I drove in it on the way to the first seminar I presented) but cleared by early afternoon.

Clear the rest of the week: http://classic.wunde...ast?query=46201

Now, stick around for the weekend and it looks like the remnants of Hurricane Isaac may come visiting!

Been to a LOT DEEPER RV events! Perry GA before they redid the parking areas comes to mind. Remember Georgia rain shoes-- Walmart bags tied around your shoes and up your calves with rubber bands. Ah the good old days.

[rossboyer]

1849 Family Member Coaches

362 Display and Vendor Coaches

2211 Total

[RVerOnTheMove]

1,849. Wow, that's a long way from the nearly 8,000 coaches in Brunswick, ME (2000?) or the 6,000 coach counts in Perry, GA. The times, they are a changin'.

[85Eagle]

Thanks mrboyer that is all that I asked for. Yes times have changed but we haven't (FMCA).

[tmoning]

The official coach count was announced yesterday at evening entertainment and in this morning's convention newsletter.

The 2,211 coach count includes 1,849 family coaches; 85 exhibitor live-in coaches; 207 display coaches; and 70 demo units.

Here's a video highlighting one of the display coaches, a 2013 American Heritage, an American Coach model by Fleetwood.

[85Eagle]

1,849. Wow, that's a long way from the nearly 8,000 coaches in Brunswick, ME (2000?) or the 6,000 coach counts in Perry, GA. The times, they are a changing'.

I have been thinking about this since I seen these numbers and just maybe it is time for FMCA's executive board to consider discontinuing the national conventions and combining some of the area conventions to eliminate some of the expenses such as the travel expenses of the executive board members and area rally expenses.

[dickandlois]

85 Eagle,

The change would effect some of the Into chapters that use the event for there annual meetings.

It looks like there will be about 4 chapters meeting at the next National Rally and the number tends to be increasing.

I know it is a new thing, but it will be interesting to see where it leads.

Our local chapter has been allowing friends with trailers to attend the Rally and we have had some converts over the past three years. Once they mix with the other members, they are having a positive effect in regards to ownership of self contained units.

Rich.

[wolfe10]

The multiple regional conventions vs national convention issue is complicated.

Many come for the vendors and many, many quality technical seminars.

Companies like Michelin, Allison, Cummins, etc can easily justify sending quality presenters to give seminars for 1500+ coaches in ONE location. Same for coach manufacturers.

Much more difficult for them to justify attending 10 regional events.

Said another way you will get (and should expect) far better vendor and seminar presentations at large events.

Yes, the downside is that more total people would likely attend 10 regional events than a single large one. But the cost of 10 small ones would probably exceed that of the single large one.

So, IMO no clear answer, but believe there is a place for the National Conventions.