A proposal to relocate the city’s annual biker rally to the
Hollister Municipal Airport is hitting some turbulence as many in
the local aviation community say the plan is a poor fit for the
airport.
Hollister – A proposal to relocate the city’s annual biker rally to the Hollister Municipal Airport is hitting some turbulence as many in the local aviation community say the plan is a poor fit for the airport.
Downtown Hollister had been the home of the Fourth of July motorcycle rally for nearly a decade before the City Council voted 3-1 last month to discontinue the Hollister Independence Rally Committee’s contract to organize the event – leaving the future of the rally uncertain. In the organization’s absence, former HIRC President Dave Ventura and his recently-formed group Ghostrider Promotions have stepped in with hopes of taking over the rally and moving it out of downtown – possibly to the airport.
The Airport Advisory Commission recommended against using the airport as a venue for the Hollister Independence Rally on Nov. 30 after Ventura proposed using the airport and partially closing one of its two runways to give vendors a place to set up.
The commission’s recommendation was based on concerns that planes often need to use the southwest runway, which would be closed under Ventura’s proposal, to land safely when afternoon crosswinds kick up. In addition to creating an issue for civilian planes, many fear that California Department of Forestry fire fighting planes would not be able to land on the airport’s northwest runway in a heavy crosswind.
“There’s a lot of opposition,” said Ed Owens, who rents a hangar at the airport and is president of the local Experimental Aircraft Association. “I probably think it’s a bad idea. It’s hard to envision how it would work.”
However, CDF Battalion Chief Paul Vlastelica said closing the southwest runway wouldn’t necessarily cause major problems for the department – as long as the crosswinds aren’t stronger than 23 mph.
“There is a possibility of the wind getting there, but it’s not the norm. The vast majority of summer winds don’t get that high,” he said. “The preliminary thing is if (the northwest runway) can remain open and it’s a typical summer day, we can continue to operate.”
Vlastelica said he plans to meet with Ventura in the near future to try to hammer out an arrangement for a rally at the airport that works for the CDF and Ghostrider.
Ventura said he is also looking at one other possible location in San Benito County. While he declined to comment on where that would be, he did rule out Bolado Park – where the San Benito County Fair is held every year.
The motorcycle rally, along with HIRC, has been the subject of considerable criticism in recent months. In October, Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller heavily criticized the rally in a law enforcement report, stating that he could not guarantee adequate public safety staffing for future events because of the increasing risk of violent clashes between rival motorcycle clubs. He also raised concerns about the event becoming too adult-themed and placing the city in a bad light.
In the end, however, the City Council’s decision to cancel the HIRC contract was a financial one. This year’s rally, which drew 120,000 people, left Hollister with a $360,000 public safety bill that the city will have to pay from its general fund. But shortly after the city canceled HIRC’s contract, Ventura and Ghostrider Promotions submitted a proposal that would move the event out of downtown, charge a $10 gate fee and restrict the event to anyone under 16. Ghostrider’s plan also calls for an air show, motorcycle races and wet T-shirt contests.
City council members weren’t immediately thrilled with the plan – which promises the city more than half a million dollars in profits for an investment exceeding $1.4 million – and will discuss it during their meeting next week.
While the CDF isn’t too concerned about the Ghostrider plan, the local aviation community aren’t in favor of the rally being held at Hollister’s airport, which is used by both pilots and businesses.
“It’d be wonderful if the airport was just a big piece of property not used by people,” said Tim Sayre, who owns Adventure Center Skydive located at the airport. But it’s not, he added.
Sayre said he shares the commission’s concern that shutting down the airport’s southwest runway will make it difficult for larger planes – including CDF planes and some of his own – to land if afternoon winds kick up.
“It would be a big impact if the CDF is not able to operate efficiently,” he said.
Sayre said there is the potential that his business could be negatively affected if the southwest runway was shut down for the rally. If the afternoon winds became too strong and the runway was closed, he would have to shut down his business for the day, he said.
Also, Sayre is concerned that the presence of motorcycles, vendors and tens of thousands of people at the airport would be too big of a disruption for pilots.
“It would be very nerve-racking as a pilot to fly with all these people just off the runway,” he said.
Airport Manager Bill Gere, who said he understands concerns about the runway closure, said it is too early to decide if the rally can be held at the airport.
“My opinion is right now the City Council, staff and rally proponents are trying to come up with a workable deal,” he said.
Andy Richards, airport district office manager for the Federal Aviation Administration, said that, until his agency receives a proposal from the city to use the airport for the rally, he can’t comment whether it’s possible or plausible to use the airport for the event. He did say, however, that the city would need FAA approval before it could hold the rally at the airport.
Luke Roney covers local government and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at [email protected]
