The Route 66 RV Network is bringing its annual dealer rally back to Colorado Springs, Colorado, from October 12–14, 2026, with a format designed to encourage more discussion and interaction among its independent RV dealer members.
The event will take place at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort and will combine network updates with roundtable discussions, technology presentations, vendor opportunities and sessions focused on helping dealers improve their businesses.
This year’s rally also comes as RV dealers continue to navigate changing consumer demand, margin pressure, technology adoption and the need to improve customer relationships beyond the initial vehicle sale.
A Different Format for Dealer Discussions
One of the biggest changes planned for the 2026 rally is the introduction of a more open roundtable format.
Rather than relying primarily on presentations from the stage, Route 66 plans to pause during sessions and give dealers opportunities to ask questions, discuss issues with other dealers and provide feedback.
Cooper Merrill, a partner with the Route 66 RV Network, told RVBusiness that organizers want the event to become more conversational and give dealers more opportunities to exchange ideas.
The roundtable sessions are scheduled for Tuesday morning and will form part of the traditional network update program.
For independent dealerships, that type of peer discussion can be particularly relevant because dealers often face similar challenges involving inventory, marketing, service, customer retention and profitability.
New Technology Will Be a Major Focus
Technology is another major theme at this year’s rally.
According to Route 66, the network will introduce several new technology offerings that have been tested with selected dealer groups.
The organization says dealer feedback has played a role in developing these tools, with an emphasis on giving dealerships better access to information and making business processes more efficient.
One of the offerings will provide dealers with access to national price-comparison data.
That type of information could become useful when dealerships evaluate pricing and positioning in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Route 66 also plans to integrate some of the data into other areas of its business, including digital marketing, websites and F&I technology.
Protecting Margins Is Another Key Theme
Financial performance is expected to be another important discussion point.
Route 66 partner Connor Francis said some of the new offerings are designed around the challenges dealers face as gross margins come under pressure.
The network is also emphasizing what happens after the vehicle sale.
Rather than treating the sale as the end of the customer relationship, the organization is focusing on opportunities to bring customers back for:
- Service
- Repairs
- Maintenance
- Future RV purchases
- Additional dealership interactions
This reflects a broader shift in dealership strategy toward the lifetime value of the customer, rather than focusing exclusively on the initial RV transaction.
A New Web Platform Is Also Coming
Route 66 will also introduce a new web platform developed by Ride Digital.
The network says the platform is intended to address member requests and make accessing information more efficient.
One of the development priorities has been reducing the number of browser tabs users need to keep open when working with different information sources.
For modern dealerships, improvements like this can matter because employees increasingly work across multiple systems covering inventory, customer relationships, websites, marketing, F&I and service.
Reducing unnecessary switching between systems can potentially make daily workflows easier.
AI Comes to the Dealer Conversation
Artificial intelligence will also be part of the 2026 rally.
Experts are expected to discuss areas where AI has already been used successfully to streamline dealership operations.
For RV dealers, AI has potential applications across several areas, including:
- Marketing
- Customer communication
- Lead management
- Data analysis
- Content creation
- Inventory analysis
- Service scheduling
- Administrative workflows
The more important question for dealers, however, may not be whether AI should be adopted, but where it can solve a specific business problem without creating additional complexity.
Three Days of Networking and Business Sessions
The 2026 event begins Monday, October 12, with registration, an afternoon golf tournament and an evening reception.
Tuesday will include the main morning meetings and roundtable discussions, followed by an afternoon vendor expo and an evening dinner and trivia event.
The rally concludes Wednesday with a half-day program featuring awards, network updates and motivational sessions.
The official Route 66 Rally information lists the event dates as October 12–14, 2026, at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort & Spa in Colorado Springs.
Why the Rally Matters to the RV Industry
The Route 66 Rally is primarily a dealer-network event rather than a consumer RV show.
That makes it interesting for a different reason.
Events like this can provide an indication of what independent RV dealerships are focusing on behind the scenes.
This year’s themes point toward several areas:
Dealer collaboration → Technology → Data → Customer retention → Profitability → AI
These areas are increasingly connected.
A dealership may use pricing data to improve inventory decisions, digital marketing to generate demand, CRM and service programs to retain customers, and AI to streamline parts of the operation.
The challenge is making those technologies work together rather than creating another collection of disconnected tools.
What RV Dealers Can Take Away From the 2026 Rally
The most notable aspect of this year’s event is arguably the emphasis on dealer participation.
Instead of simply listening to presentations, members will have opportunities to discuss issues, provide feedback and learn from other dealerships.
That approach could make the event more directly relevant to the day-to-day challenges facing independent RV dealers.
The planned technology announcements are also worth watching, particularly the new pricing-data capabilities, web platform and tools intended to support dealership profitability and customer retention.
As the RV industry continues to adjust to changing market conditions, the ability of dealers to use data, technology and customer relationships effectively will remain an important part of the dealership business.
Quick Facts
| 2026 Route 66 RV Network Rally | |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 12–14, 2026 |
| Location | Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs |
| Audience | Route 66 RV Network dealers and partners |
| Format | Meetings, roundtables, expo and networking |
| Key topics | Technology, pricing data, F&I, AI, customer retention |
| Organizer | Route 66 RV Network |
The official event information confirms the October 12–14 dates and Colorado Springs location.
