Elk Camp Heads for Reno

  MISSOULA, Mont. - As if breaking camp to escape inhospitable country and a looming storm, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation today abandoned Salt Lake City as the site for its 2003 national convention. It would have been the fourth  " Elk Camp " held at the Salt Palace Convention Center.  Elk Camp is now set for Feb. 27-March 2 at the Reno (Nevada) Hilton.

  Event organizers were forced to pull out after Salt Palace officials decided that Elk Camp might compete with International Sportsman ' s Exposition (ISE), a consumer show booked within a 30-day window at a separate facility across town. Although Elk Camp dates had been booked for more than two years, security deposits were returned in March to the Montana-based conservation group. A letter explained that Elk Camp would have to be rescheduled or substantially altered from its traditional format.  " We were shocked to be handed such ultimatums less than a year out from the event. We tried to cooperate with the Salt Palace and ISE to find a happy medium, but unrealistic demands along with possible lawsuits and injunctions threatened our ability to have a successful convention, " said Tony Schoonen, vice president of marketing and communications for the Foundation.  " We ' re lucky to fall back on Reno, which has been very accommodating to us over the years, " he said, adding that the Foundation ' s legal counsel is working to see that costs of relocating the convention are borne by the Salt Palace.  Schoonen said he is disappointed that three hotels booked in downtown Salt Lake City, as well as many restaurants and convention vendors, have lost Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation business. He also feels bad for the thousands of Foundation members in Utah who were looking forward to the national convention returning to their home state.  " It ' s a regretful consolation, but we ' re offering free passes to anyone from Utah who makes the trip to Reno in February. Just show your driver’s license at the Exhibit Hall ticket window and you'll be admitted at no cost. If you haven ' t been to Reno, I know you’ll enjoy that city and its hospitality toward the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, " he said. 

  Reno was the site of the organization ' s 2002 convention. More than 17,000 people attended and Foundation fund-raisers brought in $1.3 million for elk conservation projects.  Now in its 18th year, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation already has conserved or enhanced more than 3.3 million acres - an area 50 percent larger than Yellowstone National Park - of habitat for elk and other wildlife. The organization boasts a record 135,000 members, 115,000 supporters and 10,000 volunteers. Working together in an ambitious 5-year campaign called  " Pass It On, " these impassioned conservationists are on track to conserve an additional 2 million acres by 2005, restore elk to long-empty native ranges, and ensure an elk country legacy for future generations. To learn more, visit www.elkfoundation.org or call 1-800-CALL ELK.