Hey,
Yep, it's a complete load of BS. You're going to have to pay the $99 sometime if you want to continue using Audition...you either pay it now and get into the update scheme cheaply, or you don't pay it now and pay a huge update cost later.
This is a total Adobe thing, to take software and make it more expensive to give it the 'pro' feel. Syntrillium were really good about keeping costs down, it's a shame that CEP will exist no more as we know it.
There will be some cool stuff in later versions, like ASIO support and softsynths, although I have NO idea how that one will work.
Take care,
Nick