City of Myrtle Beach looking to end Bike Rallies (York: spring break, 2009)

[RoadBoss]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

I scanned the article... what actually is the City going to spend the $1.5 million on to stop the bikers?

An out of the box solution may for the City to bring together the bikers (particuliarly from the Bikefest since they appear not to have a sponsor) and see if an organization would sponsor it... Viacom(?) or whoever ownes BET/MTV, Budweiser, Coca Cola? They would not have to sponsor whole event i.e. "Coca Cola's Bikefest" because if somethin raunchy happens or there is some high profile crime they may be afraid to have their name associated with being the sponsor of the entire event, but they could sponsor a specific venue. If the City helps faciliate that conversation with the major bike club members maybe one of the corporations would agree to underwrite the cost for some of additional security and the bike clubs could help circulate the info to their members. As far as the traffic... I know that it cannot be eliminated but if there is a schedule of events at several large venues may be the crowd could be split up to different sections of the strand at different times so traffic is diffused? After the events let out, the Police can do what they always do to discourage uneccessary cruising......roadblocks, one way streets, etc to enourage the crowd to park it or to head back to the hotels... for the rest of the evening...If gas stays at $4 we all may be having mini bikers' weekend in our our respective communities...

I know it is complicated, but there should be some middle ground

It's not complicated you are right on target, take part of that 1.5 million and try to find a solution if everyone gives alittle this will have a good outcome for all.

[rrufast]

Ending the bike rallies, well, the Harley rally, will be financially devastating for the business owners, employees and the like for at least a couple years after they have ended. It will take a few years for the 'word of mouth' to spread enough to get families to swarm the area, as the media and council would have one to believe.

I'm sorry folks, MB City Council is barking up the wrong tree by trying to end the Spring Harley rally. It is in it's 62nd year, if I'm not mistaken and they want to stop it? PLEASE.
And yes, I ride. Year round. Respectfully. I do not have a Harley, but you wouldn't know it by looking at my bike. I have many friends who come down for the week/weekend/day during the rally and they are out spending money.

The fine folks of Myrtle Beach will wind up cutting their nose off to spite their face if they aren't careful..It's funny actually... an overwhelming majority of folks who live in MB, or Horry County, for that fact, are not locals. They moved here from somewhere typically due to their love for the area. Now that they get to experience ALL that MB is, that outlook of having a 'private utopia' changes. Suddenly, what's good for the goose is no longer good for the gander, so to speak.

My opinion, dramatically step up enforcement for the events, both if them. Those that are not law abiding.. cuff 'em and let them incur STIFF fines. Allow teh fines to offset the cost of the O/T that the officers work during that time frame. No, it won't cover ALL the cost, but it could make a dent in it anyway.

This effort has really gotten under my skin. Maybe because I have a bit of common sense and have tried to think this through for both the positive and negative aspects. I just see more potential harm done to the local area, over an extended time, than the good.

[baylovers]

I pretty much agree with you guys.... I think the economics of the rallies, particularly the Harley rally, should mandate that they stay. I don't know if MB is using the fact that Bikefest is on Memorial Day to oust them but perhaps rescheduling Bikefest to the week before harley week or maybe the weekend after Labor Day. This way Bikefest will not interfere with a holiday weekend & MB can market the area for the family tourists.

[pvjd]

I am not familiar with Bikefest. What is it in terms of what it is marketed toward, etc.? What sets it apart from the Harley bike event?

[rrufast]

The Harley rally lasts roughly 10 days and attracts bikers of all ages and colors, although *most* who attend are white.

The Bikefest Rally, Black Bike Week, Memorial Bike Rally, or whatever else it's been called attracts a much younger crowd consisting mostly of blacks. Thus the name Black Bike Week. It typically lasts about 5 days.

Traffic is bad in certain areas during both rallies and both rallies have their own unique pros and cons. I'll let it go at that.

[coastalbulldog]

I don't know why we have to stick to the bike rally economy. What about convention industry?

[RoadBoss]

Originally Posted by coastalbulldog

I don't know why we have to stick to the bike rally economy. What about convention industry?

Approx. 500,000 bikers in town over a 15 day period generates a lot of money in a short period of time. How many conventions do you think it will take and over what period of time to equal the revenue from the bike rallies? Most conventions are not return business year to year, the rallies are. Maybe the convention industry should be looked at as an additional source of income for the area.

[Woodlands]

Residents of Myrtle Beach should beware of the "raise taxes to stop bike week" being proposed by City Officials. What happens if the effort is not a success? Will the City rescind the tax? In an era of falling revenue, you would be hard pressed to find any municipal government that would rescind a tax once it is passed. I'm not saying that MB officials will not do what they say they are going to do with the funds or do not have good intentions (whatever that is that results in the stopping of the biker activities) but if it doesn't work and what specifically falls in the category of "effort to stop" and how do you know if it works? If fewer bikers show up? What is the goal? Half the amount? Zero? Could ex $500k to MBCVB to promote the area to families be considered an effort to "stopping bike week" by attracting more families or ex.$700,000 for more police officers, cars, or go carts? All I am saying is I hope that this is not a fear tactic to get more revenue for other initiative by using residents' anger over the bikers' weekends

[baylovers]

I'm not saying that MB officials will not do what they say they are going to do with the funds or do not have good intentions

Whatever that is...

The city council's reaction seems to be knee-jerk, at best. They have approved $1.5M to fund their efforts but have not expressed how they plan to do it, like you said. The local Georgetown paper has editorialized concerns that the bike rallies will move south into this county if Horry is successful. And Atlantic Beach authorities have said that they do not have plans to follow along with the ban. Looks like Horry has a steep uphill battle on their hands.

[Woodlands]

THe other option could be to encourage some other community to take it on, though I am not sure what beach community is large enough to step up to the plate... Virginia Beach? Ocean City, though it is not that easy to get to... Daytona probably has its fill of these types of events. Poor Atlantic Beach (Bikefest location) they need to come up with something quick or they may lose a major source of revenue. They will become a little Luxenbourg, with bikers being unable to travel through Horry County....."comfortably"........ to get to Atlantic Beach unless they come by sea.........