This year’s Hollister Independence Rally got off to a smooth
start when the Hollister City Council reviewed the Rally contract
Monday and raised no significant objections
– a marked contrast from last year, when the Rally’s future was
in question while the city was drowning in red ink.
This year’s Hollister Independence Rally got off to a smooth start when the Hollister City Council reviewed the Rally contract Monday and raised no significant objections – a marked contrast from last year, when the Rally’s future was in question while the city was drowning in red ink.
With the Hollister Independence Rally Committee planning to reimburse the city for the estimated $300,000 it will cost for police protection, and with measures put in place to make sure vendors are accurately reporting their sales, the Rally is showing welcome signs of maturing into a marquee event.
The Rally is a boon for the city and the businesses that reap the profits from the tens of thousands of riders who pour into town to have a good time. Ensuring its success will only foster a better business climate for Hollister. The thousands of hungry and thirsty bikers who come to show off their shiny hardware will put money in locals’ pockets. And it should not be forgotten that a chunk of the Rally’s proceeds benefit local charities.
The fact is, the Rally is the most effective and widest-reaching public relations tool Hollister has. If people come to town for Rally fun, they will see how beautiful our area is and they just might come back. So it’s in our best interest to ensure it continues down the road to becoming a self-sustaining event that does not present a financial burden to the city government.
Along those lines, it appears HIRC is taking steps to make sure all the vendors who sling trinkets and T-shirts are fully reporting their sales – an area that needed to be addressed because of last year’s problems in ascertaining total sales. This year, HIRC will require vendors to turn in the same sales paperwork they give the state. If sales are low, the vendors won’t be invited back. That should provide a strong incentive to honestly report their earnings and make it easier to see how much money the event will generate for the city.
Another area we would encourage HIRC to explore is boosting corporate sponsorship. The Gilroy Garlic Festival has used corporate sponsorship to great effect to defray costs. Surely, the Rally can always find more corporations that will want to advertise to the hordes of bikers who come to town in July. Finally, we’d like to see HIRC commission a report analyzing just how much money the event draws into Hollister, from sales tax to increased hotel and restaurant business. Such a report would give everyone involved a clear picture of exactly what the Rally means for the local business climate.
While there is work to do, the progress that is being made on the Rally is encouraging. The city and the Hollister Independence Rally Committee deserve kudos for making changes that will help it succeed.
