The smoking ban at the show is not the preference of the Pheasant Run Resort; it is the work of the Illinois legislature which enacted one of the nation's toughest smoking bans. The PR Resort had this thing rammed down their throat and they have worked hard to help the show work around it. They've been incredibly cooperative from what I understand.
We're lucky to have a show at all considering the obstacles that the law put in place. If it weren't for the inventiveness and ingenuity of Frank Burla and his team, it wouldn't happen.
The only way that the show will be held anywhere "friendlier" is if it leaves Illinois for some state with less draconian smoking laws. Given the sweep of smoking bans, there are very few states where the show could happen in the same way that it used to.
Those days are over.
Personally, I'm grateful that we have the show that we do. And I'm glad/proud to be able to be there.