Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009

Council hopefuls talk bikes

There's no shortage of differing opinions, especially when it comes to the motorcycle rallies.

Among the 12 candidates for Myrtle Beach City Council, it's no different.

Some say if elected, they would actively court biker groups, hoping they come back. Others say May has finally become manageable again, and some don't take a hard-and-fast stand.

"To me, it's not about bike weeks, it's about tourism," said Karon Mitchell, local motel owner and downtown redevelopment corporation board member. "I don't believe you should ever run off any source of revenue that so many people in the service industry depend on."

Mitchell said she wishes the city had conducted economic studies and made plans to replace the lost revenue. .

Don Emery, local bar owner, got into the race because of the city's stand on the rallies, among other reasons.

"The city should have found a way to find an equitable solution," he said. "We need to apologize not only to the bikers, but to all the tourists we've offended. This isn't unique. Daytona Beach tried to get rid of the rallies, too. But with a change in leadership and an apology, I think the bikers will come back."

Several of the candidates feel an apology is in order: Emery, Pete Lusardi, Terry Mitchem, Mike Lowder and C.D. Rosza each said the city should say "sorry" or "we were too hasty," or "please come back."

"I know there are a lot of residents who don't appreciate what goes on, but this is a tourist destination," said Lowder, a local businessman who's making his third run at a council seat. "My stance is the same as it has been for the last two races. We cannot pick and choose our tourists."

"As long as we set the rules and keep everything under control, I would want the rallies back," said Rosza, a mechanic who owns a shop in Surfside Beach.

Mitchem said the city could organize events and welcome the rallies to town.

"We do it for events like the Beach Barbecue Boogie, why not for the rallies?" Mitchem said.

Lusardi said the city has given the impression that it's not a welcoming place anymore.

"It was a mistake to push away a whole segment of people," Lusardi said. "How do you separate the rallies from the bikers?"

Others, however, say they can make the distinction. They are against the rallies and the way they have impacted the city.

"They overwhelmed us and our infrastructure," said contractor Keith Compton. "We have no other weeks of the year where we have to call in hundreds of extra police officers and have city crews working untold hours of overtime to clean up after events."

The incumbents, all of whom voted for all or parts of the ordinances, say they haven't changed their minds.

"If I have any regrets, it's that some of the bikers I've met as I've gone door-to-door think the city looks down on them or thinks they are trashy," Councilman Randal Wallace said. "That's just not true. I did my best to go after the cause of the problems, not the rights of individuals."

Martino said that since the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce began spending more money on marketing the city to potential visitors within driving distance, occupancy numbers have been up over last year, and last weekend's Oktoberfest downtown shows there are alternatives to bike rallies.

Most candidates said there are events the city and chamber can promote that will draw people to the area in the shoulder months, not just May. Emery suggested a Native American festival, Gray wants to push sports tourism, and events like a Carolinas weekend and Mothers' Day celebrations, as well as expanding on last year's Military Appreciation Days festival; Compton and Lowder said the city needs to think outside the box and come up with events that can grow over the years; Martino said he advocates the city hiring a festival organizer to make sure there are events and festivals as often as feasible and relooking at the ordinance that prohibits events in May because "we've got a handle on May now - we should at least be able to do some organized activities;" and Joanne Vogelsong said she's pleased to see the city's sports-tourism efforts, but also wants more cultural arts events.

Adam Parness said the rallies aren't an issue he would expect to deal with if he's elected Nov. 3, but if they did come up again, "I would evaluate, debate and discuss the issues in their entirety to make the best decision at the time."

Like Vogelsong, Parness stands in the middle of the argument.

They both said they see why residents complained, but they understand there has been a heavy impact on a segment of the business community because of the council's actions.

"I know people were hurt by this, but there are a lot of people who are in businesses that are not related to motorcycles who were hurt by the rallies," Compton said.

The goal is to create a more balanced year, Gray said.

"We want to build our tourism traffic throughout the shoulder season," he said. "We learn from what works and doesn't."