Post by Pat on Feb 14, 2009 20:26:54 GMT -6
The following passed across my desk and I pass it on unedited...
When the Mayor and Council of Myrtle Beach couldn’t persuade the Horry County Commission to go along with its plan to shut down the motorcycle rallies, they decided to take a different approach. They decided to lie and say the rallies have been cancelled.
On a website set up specifically for the purpose to intimated and discourage any motorcyclists who would attend the event, Mayor John Rhodes writes, “After many years, our residents grew weary of three weeks of noise and traffic congestion each May, and they asked City Council to end the events. As a result, the Harley-Davidson Dealers Association Spring Rally and the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Bikefest will not be held in Myrtle Beach.”
The Mayor insinuates that the City controls the dates and the decision to promote the rally but that is a bald face lie, according to Mike Shank, of Festival Promotions in Myrtle Beach. “we’re moving forward with the rally in May and just want to be clear no rally has been cancelled and that everybody who has come to Myrtle Beach in the past is certainly welcome again this May.”
The tradition of motorcyclists in Myrtle Beach was started by the Carolina Harley-Davidson Dealers Association and was welcomed in years past as a valuable tourism asset to the businesses in the city. But, recent events and the growth of Black Bike Week, held over the Memorial Day Weekend, has prompted town leaders to find ways to shut out the bikers.
Shank says it’s deplorable but a move he expected. He added, “I guess the biggest thing to clarify too is that it’s not the city of Myrtle Beach’s event. It’s not their event to cancel. It’s been a community event for 69 years.”
Attendance during the October event was down from previous years, but apparently that decrease wasn’t enough to satisfy the anti-biker crowd. New regulations, including an unconstitutional helmet law, which is in direct conflict with state law, were enacted to directly intimidate and harass the motorcycle community.
Mayor Rhodes defended the actions of the council saying, “We believe these new laws will make Myrtle Beach a safer and more friendly destination.”
In a half hearted attempt to deflect accusations of discrimination against two wheel tourists, Rhodes said, “Myrtle Beach is not anti-biker or anti-motorcycle. We want folks to come on the vehicle of their choice and enjoy all of the things Myrtle Beach has to offer. We are ending the motorcycle-related rallies because they grew too big and lasted too long. The huge rallies even kept visitors away from Myrtle Beach, and that's not good.”
Horry County Council members disagree with the Mayor’s assessment and have publicly stated that the month of May is a “dead” month and if it were not for the motorcycle tourists, the area would suffer economic hardship, especially in this recessionary economy. Since school is still in session, families do not visit during the month of May.
Shanks said a special website www.mbbikeweeks.com/ has been set up to inform and guide motorcyclists who refuse to be intimidated by the council’s actions are planning to come to the area during the spring event.
As any motorcyclist who has attended the Cruising the Coast events in years past, there are far more destinations and biker bars outside of the city limits than inside.
On the site set up by the city, Mayor Rhodes attempts to downplay this fact and instead insist that the rallies have been cancelled. In one paragraph Rhodes says that North Myrtle Beach, (a separate town) may not allow outside tents to be set up at the Harley-Dealership in that location. By doing this, he is hoping that bikers will spread the false rumor that the Harley dealership south of town is affected, which is completely false.
Shank said that despite the propaganda machine the city is using, the rally will still be held. “There is a rally, people are welcome, and there’s plenty of ways to avoid Myrtle Beach, you know I think the best thing we can do in the Motorcycle Industry is to show up in 2009 and exercise our rights to freedom and participation and hope that everyone does it in a lawful manner and I don’t think anyone can complain much about that.”
City of Myrtle Beach Boundaries
North: Approximately Carolina Opry
South: 200 yards north of Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson
West: Approximately Hwy 17 Bypass from the airport north to Carolina Opry
Best Ways to Avoid the City of Myrtle Beach
Hwy 31, which runs from Hwy 544 all the way to Hwy 9 in Loris, is the best way to avoid Myrtle Beach. It has exits for Highway 544, Highway 501, 48th Ave N (city limits), Hwy 22 and Hwy 9.
Hwy 544 connects to Hwy 17, just 1-mile south of Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson, Iron Gate and many biker locations.
Hwy 501 south will take you to the City of Myrtle Beach City limits and north will take you to Conway.
48th Ave N. exit will take you into the City limits
Hwy 22 east will connect to Hwy 17 business north of the City limits and bring you out at Colonial Mall and Tanger Outlets.
Hwy 9 east will take you into the City of North Myrtle Beach. Hwy 9 west will take you to HB Spokes.
Any road west of the Intracoastal Waterway is outside of the City Limits.
Main Roads in the City of Myrtle Beach.
Hwy 17 Business
Hwy 17 Bypass
Ocean Boulevard
Oak Street
Businesses and Attractions Outside the City of Myrtle Beach City Limits
Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson Main Store
Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson North Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson at Tanger Outlet Hwy 501
Suck Bang Blow Original and Four Corners
Beaver Bar
Broken Spoke
HB Spokes
Dog House North
Barefoot Landing
Tanger Outlets 501 & Hwy 17
Red Line Powersports
Iron Gate Saloon
Crazy Horse
Jamin’ Leather
Pink Pony
Hooter’s (Murrells Inlet, North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach Mall)
Island Bar and Grill
Rat’s Hole
Hoof N Finz
Thee Doll House
Triple B Saloon
Dead Dog Saloon
House of Blues
Lakewood Campground
Myrtle Beach Mall
Myrtle Beach Speedway
Secrets
Penthouse Club
Brookgreen Gardens
Calli Bakers
2001
And many more......
Businesses Inside the City of Myrtle Beach City Limits
Broadway at the Beach
Dog House Original
Celebrity Square
Master’s Club
Hooter’s (38th Ave N. location)
Coastal Grand Mall
Hard Rock Café
Ripley’s Aquarium
The Bowery
Market Common
When the Mayor and Council of Myrtle Beach couldn’t persuade the Horry County Commission to go along with its plan to shut down the motorcycle rallies, they decided to take a different approach. They decided to lie and say the rallies have been cancelled.
On a website set up specifically for the purpose to intimated and discourage any motorcyclists who would attend the event, Mayor John Rhodes writes, “After many years, our residents grew weary of three weeks of noise and traffic congestion each May, and they asked City Council to end the events. As a result, the Harley-Davidson Dealers Association Spring Rally and the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Bikefest will not be held in Myrtle Beach.”
The Mayor insinuates that the City controls the dates and the decision to promote the rally but that is a bald face lie, according to Mike Shank, of Festival Promotions in Myrtle Beach. “we’re moving forward with the rally in May and just want to be clear no rally has been cancelled and that everybody who has come to Myrtle Beach in the past is certainly welcome again this May.”
The tradition of motorcyclists in Myrtle Beach was started by the Carolina Harley-Davidson Dealers Association and was welcomed in years past as a valuable tourism asset to the businesses in the city. But, recent events and the growth of Black Bike Week, held over the Memorial Day Weekend, has prompted town leaders to find ways to shut out the bikers.
Shank says it’s deplorable but a move he expected. He added, “I guess the biggest thing to clarify too is that it’s not the city of Myrtle Beach’s event. It’s not their event to cancel. It’s been a community event for 69 years.”
Attendance during the October event was down from previous years, but apparently that decrease wasn’t enough to satisfy the anti-biker crowd. New regulations, including an unconstitutional helmet law, which is in direct conflict with state law, were enacted to directly intimidate and harass the motorcycle community.
Mayor Rhodes defended the actions of the council saying, “We believe these new laws will make Myrtle Beach a safer and more friendly destination.”
In a half hearted attempt to deflect accusations of discrimination against two wheel tourists, Rhodes said, “Myrtle Beach is not anti-biker or anti-motorcycle. We want folks to come on the vehicle of their choice and enjoy all of the things Myrtle Beach has to offer. We are ending the motorcycle-related rallies because they grew too big and lasted too long. The huge rallies even kept visitors away from Myrtle Beach, and that's not good.”
Horry County Council members disagree with the Mayor’s assessment and have publicly stated that the month of May is a “dead” month and if it were not for the motorcycle tourists, the area would suffer economic hardship, especially in this recessionary economy. Since school is still in session, families do not visit during the month of May.
Shanks said a special website www.mbbikeweeks.com/ has been set up to inform and guide motorcyclists who refuse to be intimidated by the council’s actions are planning to come to the area during the spring event.
As any motorcyclist who has attended the Cruising the Coast events in years past, there are far more destinations and biker bars outside of the city limits than inside.
On the site set up by the city, Mayor Rhodes attempts to downplay this fact and instead insist that the rallies have been cancelled. In one paragraph Rhodes says that North Myrtle Beach, (a separate town) may not allow outside tents to be set up at the Harley-Dealership in that location. By doing this, he is hoping that bikers will spread the false rumor that the Harley dealership south of town is affected, which is completely false.
Shank said that despite the propaganda machine the city is using, the rally will still be held. “There is a rally, people are welcome, and there’s plenty of ways to avoid Myrtle Beach, you know I think the best thing we can do in the Motorcycle Industry is to show up in 2009 and exercise our rights to freedom and participation and hope that everyone does it in a lawful manner and I don’t think anyone can complain much about that.”
City of Myrtle Beach Boundaries
North: Approximately Carolina Opry
South: 200 yards north of Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson
West: Approximately Hwy 17 Bypass from the airport north to Carolina Opry
Best Ways to Avoid the City of Myrtle Beach
Hwy 31, which runs from Hwy 544 all the way to Hwy 9 in Loris, is the best way to avoid Myrtle Beach. It has exits for Highway 544, Highway 501, 48th Ave N (city limits), Hwy 22 and Hwy 9.
Hwy 544 connects to Hwy 17, just 1-mile south of Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson, Iron Gate and many biker locations.
Hwy 501 south will take you to the City of Myrtle Beach City limits and north will take you to Conway.
48th Ave N. exit will take you into the City limits
Hwy 22 east will connect to Hwy 17 business north of the City limits and bring you out at Colonial Mall and Tanger Outlets.
Hwy 9 east will take you into the City of North Myrtle Beach. Hwy 9 west will take you to HB Spokes.
Any road west of the Intracoastal Waterway is outside of the City Limits.
Main Roads in the City of Myrtle Beach.
Hwy 17 Business
Hwy 17 Bypass
Ocean Boulevard
Oak Street
Businesses and Attractions Outside the City of Myrtle Beach City Limits
Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson Main Store
Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson North Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach Harley-Davidson at Tanger Outlet Hwy 501
Suck Bang Blow Original and Four Corners
Beaver Bar
Broken Spoke
HB Spokes
Dog House North
Barefoot Landing
Tanger Outlets 501 & Hwy 17
Red Line Powersports
Iron Gate Saloon
Crazy Horse
Jamin’ Leather
Pink Pony
Hooter’s (Murrells Inlet, North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach Mall)
Island Bar and Grill
Rat’s Hole
Hoof N Finz
Thee Doll House
Triple B Saloon
Dead Dog Saloon
House of Blues
Lakewood Campground
Myrtle Beach Mall
Myrtle Beach Speedway
Secrets
Penthouse Club
Brookgreen Gardens
Calli Bakers
2001
And many more......
Businesses Inside the City of Myrtle Beach City Limits
Broadway at the Beach
Dog House Original
Celebrity Square
Master’s Club
Hooter’s (38th Ave N. location)
Coastal Grand Mall
Hard Rock Café
Ripley’s Aquarium
The Bowery
Market Common