After the City Council rejected the Hollister Independence Rally
Committee’s bid to host this year’s ode to Harleys, chrome and the
spirit of Marlon Brando, we urged council members to find a way to
make the rally work rather than dump it altogether. Now, there is a
suitable alternative that has the chance to resolve city concerns
about security and money and the council should make it happen.
After the City Council rejected the Hollister Independence Rally Committee’s bid to host this year’s ode to Harleys, chrome and the spirit of Marlon Brando, we urged council members to find a way to make the rally work rather than dump it altogether. Now, there is a suitable alternative that has the chance to resolve city concerns about security and money and the council should make it happen.
Dave Ventura, the former president of HIRC, has formed a private organization and presented a plan to host the rally in an enclosed venue such as the Hollister Airport, charge $10 per head, make the event more adult oriented and only sell tickets to people over 16.
The lion’s share of the profits – projected to be more than $550,000 after all costs, including law enforcement – would go to the city. In addition, hosting the event at a closed venue – like Gilroy does with the Garlic Festival – should make it much easier to police, allaying concerns about the escalating threat of violence between rival motorcycle gangs.
Even though it’s late in the game to get next year’s rally rolling, the council should let Ventura go for it. If he falls on his face, the council can look at other outside proposals next year.
The bottom line is, unless our leaders have an objection to bikers – Sheriff Curtis Hill recently said “Biker events are dirty, stinking, rotten events, period,” so that may be the case – the city should not cancel the event that has come to define Hollister to the larger world. Instead, council members should work with Ventura to put on a smooth, safe and profitable rally. There are undeniable benefits to doing so – one only has to look up the road to the Gilroy Garlic Festival to see what a well–run event can mean to a community.
Hollister has an advantage in that it has a built-in mythology stemming from the “Biker Invasion,” and Brando’s role of Johnny in the classic movie “The Wild One.” It would be a shame if we did not turn that toward our advantage. We only need imagination, some financial wizardry and dedication to make it happen.
The rewards, potentially, are great. The rally puts Hollister on the map for hundreds of thousands of people drawing them and their money to town. There is no doubt that the local businesses that choose to cater to rallygoers reap large profits on the Fourth of July weekend. If run properly, the Hollister Independence Rally could be a gold mine for our community.
Rather than chase bikers away, let’s welcome them and find a way to make a buck while hosting a fun and safe event.
