uh, literally every issue of the numismatist for the past who knows how many months has pres ellsworth talking about how the ana needs more donations, and needs layoffs, and needs cutbacks on the length of the magazine (at least like four articles have been cut out, and only one added). Not to mention exec director Kiick has been also writing about a need to raise more funds, in addition to the various fundraiser ideas the organization has been trying, such as the past president slabs thing.
Sure, you could argue that the ANA is well-situated in the middle of no-where, but the idea that they're financially okay is entirely off from the reality of the current situation.
And far as your question of why any collector would want to go to those larger cities? Perhaps some actually need more than one reason to actually get a on a plane and go somewhere, not to mention that in a big city, a trip to the museum could easily be "slid in" the schedule amongst whatever else they may be already going there for. (btw, I am a member of the ANA, and would support the ANA museum moving, if it were practical and possible from a financial perspective, which it's not). At the end of the day, consider this; is the Smithsonian in some out of the way place? Is any large, major museum? I guess it's a decision of how you see the ANA's museum; a small little place put together, or a institution containing one of the finest numismatic holdings in the world.