A prospective Hollister biker rally promoter and city officials are focused on getting it right this time. They’re also moving on a relatively fast track and remain hopeful for a July 2013 revival.
Hollister council members Monday night are set to hear an update from the city manager about talks with a promoter interested in running a 2013 motorcycle rally.
Hollister’s claim to fame nationally – the dormant biker rally that drew an attendance of nearly 100,000 people annually – was canceled after 2008.
A rally has potential to generate millions of dollars in economic activity, but council members canceled it four years ago because Hollister’s rally budget carried a deficit of more than $200,000 – largely due to a $360,000 budget for law enforcement and the city’s loss incurred from sales of T-shirts.
Councilman Robert Scattini has been among government and business officials in talks with a prospective promoter, who has management experience at the Sturgis rally. Scattini is confident in a July 2013 return for the event. He also vowed that law enforcement security costs would be reduced drastically.
Scattini mentioned the large groups of officers that roamed the prior rallies, before the event’s demise.
“We’re not going to have all the police like we had before,” Scattini said.
Council members are set to discuss the rally’s latest prospects at a 6:30 p.m. meeting at Hollister City Hall, 375 Fifth St.
Based on the recent conversations, Scattini is confident in a rally return for 2013.
“That’s the tone,” he said. “It’s going to happen.”
Look back for more on this story.
