May hotel occupancy down 40%
By JEFFREY COLLINS
COLUMBIA — A report released Thursday shows far fewer bikers came to South Carolina's busiest tourist spot in May, and many of those who did ride to the Grand Strand avoided staying in Myrtle Beach, which passed new rules cracking down on motorcycles.
The report released by Coastal Carolina University found occupancy at Myrtle Beach hotels was down 40 percent from the same period last year during the Harley-Davidson Rally in mid-May, which attracts mostly white bikers.
Occupancy was down 30 percent during the Memorial Day weekend Bikefest, which attracts black riders.
Outside of Myrtle Beach, occupancy rates were down 12 percent for the Harley rally and 16 percent for Bikefest, according to the report complied by the university's Brittain Center for Resort Tourism.
Supporters of the rallies encouraged bikers to come down, but asked them to avoid spending money in Myrtle Beach.
In the past year, Myrtle Beach officials have declared an end to the three weeks of biker rallies in the city, passing several new laws banning parking lot gatherings, loud mufflers and riding without helmets — all in an attempt to keep the bikers out.
Officials said residents were tired of the loud noise, choking traffic and lewd behavior that goes on for days.
Leaders in Myrtle Beach expected a drop in visitors as they try to make May a month for weddings, golfers and honoring the military.
"We knew there was going to be a transition period. I think it's going more quickly than we had even hoped," city spokesman Mark Kruea said. "Next year, without the rallies, we'll hope for a much better May."
Businesses that support the bikers said there were even more disturbing numbers deeper in the report.
Hotels along the Grand Strand say the average daily rate they charged for a room dropped almost $19 during the Harley rally and nearly $35 over the Memorial Day weekend.
"You take that kind of hit on your room rates, and then add in that I sold fewer rooms — yeah, it was a bad month," said Robert Kelley, who owns three hotels in the area.
Bike rally supporters said it wasn't just hotels who hurt. Plenty of bars and nightclubs saw revenues drop significantly, losing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And the effects continue to be felt as businesses such as car dealerships or clothing stores, which usually saw a jump in sales due to waitresses and bartenders who got plenty of tips from bikers, haven't seen that kind of bounce this year, said Tom Herron, a spokesman for Boost, a pro-rally group of businesses.
"Curtailing the bike weeks the amount they have has had a major ripple effect throughout the economy," Herron said.
Boost is getting money from more than 100 businesses and has at least 400 more interested in helping the organization out. The group's next effort will be a push to vote out the mayor and city council members who supported getting rid of the rallies.
The groups that want to get rid of the biker rallies celebrated the emptier highways and the quieter days.
A group called Take Back May plans a thank you rally Wednesday for city leaders and Myrtle Beach Mayor John Rhodes.
Kruea said the city has heard that some restaurants and businesses like mini-golf courses saw more customers.
The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce said it was trying to determine how much of the downturn was caused by the economy and how much was the result of bikers fed up with Myrtle Beach.
For Herron, it's a simple equation. "The economy is bad, but it's not 40 percent off."
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Comments
realamerican (anonymous) says...
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.
Serves them right.
June 5, 2009 at 6:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammer (anonymous) says...
they got what they wished for, now learn to live with less... idiots
June 5, 2009 at 6:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DougHuffman (anonymous) says...
Less to with which live is lovely and especially when it is less of what motorcycle rallies represent.
June 5, 2009 at 6:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RPSERV (anonymous) says...
"Kruea said the city has heard that some restaurants and businesses like mini-golf courses saw more customers."
Coastal Carolina produces a report with real numbers showing how hard businesses in Myrtle beach were hurt in May and the city responds that they have heard rumors that some businesses did better.
The current seat warmers in MB government should be tarred, feathered, and sent packing; Then, some real leaders should be elected.
June 5, 2009 at 8 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
RPSERV (anonymous) says...
realamerican said:
"Talk about shooting yourself in the foot."
Unfortunately, the town shot a lot of local businesses in the head.
June 5, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
babeegurl (anonymous) says...
The place is already a ghost town in the off season and it's only 2 weeks out of the whole year for the bike rallies which almost make up for the off season! What a stupid move in the middle of a recession!
June 5, 2009 at 9:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
potholes (anonymous) says...
"black bikers"? I didn't think politically correct folk weren't allowed to use "black," there is some other non-North American term, can't remember....
June 5, 2009 at 10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
st33lz (anonymous) says...
potholes..
Really, i can't believe they used both the "white" and "black" verbiage. What a moron.
I agree, you would think a paper would be more politically correct than that.
June 5, 2009 at 10:12 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CHRISJIII (anonymous) says...
Dumb move by the leadership of MB.
June 5, 2009 at 10:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ashleyatwork (anonymous) says...
They have killed the "old" Myrtle Beach. Tore down the pavillan, and ran all the fun rowdy crowds out of town. Gave cruisers a hard time. That used to be what Myrtle Bch was about. The new vision of Myrtle Beach is condos and golf courses for the rich. Executive conferences. Boring high brow activities. Going is like being on a big assisted living senior center outing. Its not even the same place. Just stop in MP and save yourself the drive.
Too bad.. it used to be a fun place.
June 5, 2009 at 10:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Fire_Storm (anonymous) says...
I applaud MB city officials for responding to its residents and doing the right thing. MB officials were right to spare us the disruption and riff-raff. Our image should be one of a safe, family-friendly, golfing vacation area. Bike Week only adds our tacky image. If a few less tacky hotels and bars don't make it good riddance.
June 5, 2009 at 12:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
burton (anonymous) says...
I could never understand the decision behind this. The bike rallies are only two weeks out of the whole year. You couldn't tolerate the bike rallies for two weeks?? Look at all the revenue the bike rallies contributed to your local economy.
A 40% drop! You deserve what you got. I hope the voters vote these "smart" officials out during the next election!! Good luck Boost!!
June 5, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
commonsence (anonymous) says...
agree with Firestorm...MB will rebound better off without the bikers.
June 5, 2009 at 1:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mkris (anonymous) says...
Kruea said the city has heard that some restaurants and businesses like mini-golf courses saw more customers."
Coastal Carolina produces a report with real numbers showing how hard businesses in Myrtle beach were hurt in May and the city responds that they have heard rumors that some businesses did better.
The current seat warmers in MB government should be tarred, feathered, and sent packing; Then, some real leaders should be elected.
NOPE WENT TO FOLLY BEACH, the NEWEST MYRTLE BEACH!
Brough to you by Folly Beach Council and the Mayor and all the little people in City Hall.
June 5, 2009 at 1:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammer (anonymous) says...
MB won't rebound, the same crybaby idiots that wanted the bikers that were there before them out are the same whining idiots that cry wanting every type of free public service you can think of...
they are the richer golf players that are one by one falling like domino's, they wouldn't dare give a hand with anything that actually takes physical work
as MB looses more and more revenue we'll get to watch these crybabies cry louder and louder begging for services to be done for them, with one small problem... there's no more money to give those basic services unless they fork it over, which they won't... so MB will return to the ghost town most of the year it was back in the 70's, and still be a ghost town in what used to be it's busiest season
time will tell this story and it's going to be ugly
way to throw yourselves back 40 yrs MB!!
June 6, 2009 at 7:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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