I'm unlikely to be able to get to Reno next summer. I know that it's not all that far, but just needing a hotel room would jack the price up for me. Going to SLC doesn't really require anything more than the cost of the Con ticket (and the cost of the day off).
I was a little disappointed with the gaming available at the Con - I was hoping for some PFS play, but the pathfinder games consisted of a couple tables running scenarios. The GMs had their own sets of pregens that were horrifically overpowered (the GM said they were 'rolled,' but the lowest point buy equivalent character would have needed 44 points for his spread). I don't mind overpowered, because it allows for tougher encounters, but the PFS scenarios are already low-powered. It just wasn't fun.
I did love the chance to get a bunch of stuff signed. Peter Beagle was there (I didn't know he was even still alive!), and I managed to get my copy of "The Fantasy Worlds of Peter S Beagle" signed, as well as a bunch of other stuff. I also bought a ton of stuff from Karen Hallion - I've turned my wife into a Whovian, and we're working on indoctrinating our children. The Princess/Who crossover stuff is great in my princess-obsessed 4-year-old's room. I also got Bruce Campbell to sign my copy of his Autobiography (The Chins Attack one).