The Hollister City Council received a proposal Wednesday from a
new group with plans to take the Hollister Independence Rally out
of downtown, eventually entice up to half a million people to the
event and make it age-restricted with motorcycle races and wet
T-shirt contests.
Hollister – The Hollister City Council received a proposal Wednesday from a new group with plans to take the Hollister Independence Rally out of downtown, eventually entice up to half a million people to the event and make it age-restricted with motorcycle races and wet T-shirt contests.
Former Hollister Independence Rally Committee President Dave Ventura, who recently formed the for-profit group Ghostrider Promotions, presented his proposal to the Hollister Airport Commission Wednesday night – just one week after the City Council terminated HIRC’s long-standing contract with the city. Ventura’s preliminary plan includes making the event a closed venue, charging a $10 entrance fee and giving the lion’s share of the profits – projected to be more than $550,000 – to the city. Ventura and two former HIRC members, Helen Nelson and Bruce Beetz, comprise the group’s operations board and stated in their “vision” statement that they hope to turn the rally into the “west coast version of Sturgis, Daytona and Laconia,” according to the proposal.
The Fourth of July event, along with HIRC, has been the subject of considerable criticism recently. Two months ago, Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller heavily criticized the rally in a law enforcement report, stating he cannot guarantee adequate public safety staffing at future events due to the escalating threat of violence between rival motorcycle gangs. Miller also raised concerns about the rally becoming too adult-themed, and that it presented the city in a bad light. San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill, who has long denounced the event, has many of the same worries.
“Biker events are dirty, stinking, rotten events,” he said. “Period.”
In a 3-1 vote, the City Council ended HIRC’s contract after the nonprofit group spent nearly a decade organizing the city’s signature event. The majority of council members who voted against HIRC said that the $360,000 law enforcement bill the city was left with after this year’s event – which drew 120,000 people – couldn’t be justified.
Despite the possibility of profits coming from Ventura’s rally concept, City Council members were not immediately thrilled by the Ghostrider proposal.
Councilman Brad Pike said he was not impressed with the plan – or the $556,125 in projected profits – and wants to hear from other groups that might have ideas for organizing the rally.
“The net profit is insignificant. It’s not the type of number I’m interested in looking at,” he said. “I don’t think it’s far-fetched to have numbers getting into the millions if it’s planned right.”
But the Ghostrider proposal promises profits for Hollister, with projected expenses exceeding $1.4 million. Ventura based his projections on money garnered from the $10 gate fees, vendor booth fees, camping, merchandise and soda and liquor sales, among others, according to the proposal.
Ghostrider also wants to expand the rally to include motorcycle races and, if the city approves moving the event to the Hollister Municipal Airport, an airplane display. The event, which would feature wet T-shirt contests, tattoo parlors and a variety of music acts, would be closed to people younger than 16.
The airport has long been discussed as a possible location for the rally. But after Wednesday’s Airport Advisory Commission meeting – during which the commission raised concerns about shutting down part of a runway – Ventura said a new location for the rally has yet to be settled on. He said he was looking into another possible location, but declined to say where it was.
Miller said that from a law enforcement standpoint, the airport would be a better location for the rally because it would be in an open area that was easier to police. He also said a closed-in event with a gate would give police a better chance of catching potential trouble makers before they go inside.
While a closed-in event may be easier for police operations, Pike voiced concerns about a group of former HIRC members pulling off a successful rally after sticking the city with a hefty law enforcement bill after this year’s rally.
“I certainly don’t want to be at risk as a city for something showing not to have a real good track record,” he said. “I’d like to see other proposals.”
Pike said he is unsure, however, if any group will be able to step in at this point and organize a rally for next year. But hope remains, he said.
“It’s going to be real tough,” he said. “But I’m optimistic that some well-oiled group can come in and do it.”
But Ventura isn’t daunted. He said he plans to have a broad marketing campaign and he’s sure that his group could put together a 2006 rally that will attract 100,000 people.
“We know people will come,” he said. “I know we can get those numbers.”
Councilman Doug Emerson was reluctant to comment on the proposal before he had a chance to review it thoroughly and talk to Ventura. But, he said, he has several questions about it.
“There are a lot of details I’d like to have answered,” he said. “I have questions or concerns about the reality of the income lines. Secondly, I have questions about up-front costs and the risk to the city.”
Councilman Robert Scattini, who cast the only vote against terminating the HIRC contract, said he hadn’t had a chance to thoroughly review the Ghostrider proposal, but was generally open to the idea of a new group taking over the rally to keep the event alive.
“If it means no rally or Dave and that group takes it over, I’m for it,” he said. “I’m for the concept.”
The Ghostrider proposal does include means for the rally to continue to be an event that raises money for local charities. Under the proposed plan, 10 percent of camping fees, gate fees and soda sales will go to a foundation that will in turn distribute the money to nonprofits. Ventura said he approached HIRC about being that foundation and received mixed responses.
“Some are open to it, some aren’t,” he said.
HIRC President John Loyd declined to comment on the Ghostrider proposal or on whether his group might participate in that capacity.
The City Council will discuss the proposal at its Dec. 12 meeting. No decision will be made at that time.
