Thanks elderlite. I actually thought of your thread when it came up for the first time this weekend! I was working in service this weekend with an elder that works on elements of the DC program far in advance made some veiled comment that we wouldn't have to worry about lousy hotels for the DC next year. When I asked if that meant we were moving it to a new location, he said "Well, I really can't say anything about it. I actually stumbled across some information that wasn't intended for me, so I don't want to get ahead of the 'Faithful Slave.'"
A couple of days later, someone (who doesn't know and lives far away from that elder) just came out and said, "Hey, did you hear that they're scrapping the 3-day conventions next year? I guess they decided it's too much of a burden on the friends (hotels, travel, time off). They're going to replace it with a second 2-day at the Assembly Halls. I tried to ask my (substitute CO) cousin. He said couldn't talk about it. When I asked my friends in (another state) if they'd heard anything, they said "Yes, doesn't everyone already know that?"
Still another person who works in the hospitality industry (not a JW) was told by the local DC venue that the JWs had pull out of their contract for next year's DC.
If it is just a rumor, it is wide spread. If it's true, it's now the worst-kept secret in the world.