Pro's/Con's Of audiophile TT

You dont need to be right there, when it ends simply walk over and lift it off, sometimes a call or visitor will lead me to forget for a few minutes or so and its no big deal. Other than that feature its not likely there will be anyhing else better about the Kenwood over the VPI. With VPI (and since your new) does your room have good floor or stable rack so the VPI wont be affected by footsteps and such?....its not a suspended table.
The Scout is a fantasdtic value and happens to be one of those table where the sky is the limit if you want to upgrade it later, I say go for it!!!

Thorens used to make a portable, stick-on auto arm lift device for 10-20 dollars or so.

I put on on my manual table back in the 80's and it continues to operate without error to this day (look at the pic of the Linn Axis table in my system and you can see it mounted between platter and tonearm mount on my table near the rear of the arm).

Not sure if such a device is still available these days, but if so, properly adjusted and located, it is a reliable add on for a manual table to automatically lift the arm at the end of play.

With all due respect, have you considered refurbishing your Kenwood or tweaking (the arm, especially)? It used to be a good product in its day. Are you certain the Scout will be an improvement?
(As to an arm lift, look for the device Mapman describes or similar.)