Free association conferences including lodging and expenses are not new just due to the current economy. ASI has been doing this for more than ten years for some of its members. PPAI and many of its regionals offer free attendance to their major conferences to both members and non-members alike. PPAI’s largest event is “The Expo” every January in Las Vegas with more than 20,000+ people and one-million square feet of meeting space, with free attendance. These associations believe that free attendance is part of the membership value and cover expenses in association budgets or from exhibitor fees.