Nation Wide Bikers and Businesses Have Joined Forces To Fight The Shut Down Of The May Bike Rally Traditions In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!
On Tuesday June 17th, The City of Myrtle Beach Council Officials voted unanimously to end both the Atlantic Beach Bike Fest and the Harley Davidson Spring Rallies to prevent bikers from coming into its city. Mayor John Rhodes said, "The violations that happen in the city limits during both rallies are unacceptable. We don't need bikers here to fill our hotels, thank you, but we don't want you here anymore." The City Council has petitioned the Horry County Council to banned vending permits throughout the entire county, including Atlantic Beach. Council thinks that by eliminating the vendors, the bikers won't come.
This comes with great disappointment and surprise to some of the promoters, faith leaders and bikers that met with the Mayor and City Council members on Tuesday May 27, 2008. "I'm completely shocked and confused by this decision", said Hakim Harrell CEO of Cycle Shoe International and promoter of the Memorial Day events held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, "We started planning this weekend with help from the staff at the Convention Center last year and we successfully attracted more than 75,000 people over the 3 day weekend to the Convention Center without a single act of violence or injury. There was nothing but smiles on people's faces. Even the Chief of Police was happy to see everyone when he came to the Convention Center to help organize the traffic that was coming in and out all day.
After the weekend, we met with the City Officials and received great praise and congratulations on such positive, well organized and executed events at the Convention Center, the Mayor asked me to produce more events like this in multiple locations next year and I agreed. Now they have decided to cancel and breach the contracts that we have for future events that have been secured since 2007, which is illegal."
"It's not right for our Council Members to pick the type of tourist that come to Myrtle Beach. We live in a free country and all people should be welcomed here. These rallies have been here for the last 28 years, these bike rallies and "those bikers" helped build this "tourist city". We should be looking for better ways to handle these rallies and stop trying to run off our tourist who choose to ride motorcycles. Stand up and protect your right to ride," said Jonathan Formo owner of Red Line Powersports.
It is estimated that between the two motorcycle rallies in May, at least 250 million dollars is pumped into Horry County. Mike Shank, a co-owner of Festival Promotions, one of the county's largest organizers of bike-related events, said the area needs to welcome visitors, not run them off. "No matter how much your taxes are raised or how much money is spent, you can't keep people from visiting Horry County, walking and driving on public streets. They come to these events in such large numbers because they love the Grand Strand and what it has to offer."
Violet "Heels" Lucas Founder of the Horry-Georgetown Bikers Association and Secretary of the Precious Metals Bike Club in the Myrtle Beach said, "Us bikers represent all types of professionals, doctors, lawyers, care givers, business owners and community activist. We are "not for profit" clubs that do great things for our communities all across this country. Some speculate, that they really only want to get rid of the people that come for the Atlantic Beach Bike Fest, the words were written in Black and White "No More Rallies". To us, it's not about Black or White, it's just about the bikes. We (the bikers) black and white are coming together on a united front to tell the City of Myrtle Beach and Horry County that we will not just sit by and let them do away with our tradition and god given right to come to Myrtle Beach whenever we want to, last I checked this was still a free country."
Several promoters (Hakim Harrell, Jonathan Formo and Mike Shank) have agreed to meet in the coming weeks about putting together an event schedule and program to present to the City of Myrtle Beach for review. "At this point we still have both bike rallies and what we need to do is sit down with City Officials and talk about how we can make the future bike weeks better. The City has to be willing to talk and make an investment in trying to come up with plans to better organize the rallies. I feel that if we work closely together with both bike communities, we can convince them to reconsider their decision. At the end of the day, we are still going to go to Myrtle Beach anyway," says Hakim Harrell.
Local bikers are planning to attend the Horry County Council meeting on July 1st at 6:00p to show their unified support of the continuations of both rallies. The meeting will be held at the Government and Justice Center 1301 Second Ave. Conway, SC 29526 (843) 915-5000.
The Words were written in Black and White "No More Bike Rallies. " To us, it's not about BLACK or WHITE. Its just about the Bikes!" Violet Lucas, Precious Metals Bike Club.