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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Carolina Beach hears plea to lure motorcycle clubs

OFF THE WIRE
Now we don't get to give out this award enough... but... to the merchants of Carolina Beach... Alpha Biker dot Com gives you... "Two Titties Up!" Well done!+

By Shannan Bowen


Shannan.Bowen@StarNewsOnline.com
If motorcycle clubs don't feel welcome in Myrtle Beach, they should come to Carolina Beach.

Or so says a local hotel and restaurant representative who pitched the idea Tuesday night to the town council.
"I, along with several other merchants and town officials would like to extend an official welcome to a small portion of the bikers that would normally stay in Myrtle Beach," said Danny Swinson, of Drifters Reef Motel and Lazy Pirate Sports Bar and Grill.
He wants to send letters including the town's endorsement to specific motorcycle clubs and invite their members to travel to Carolina Beach to stay, eat and visit nearby attractions during the week of May 13-22, which is known as "bike week" in Myrtle Beach. Rallies similar to ones in Myrtle Beach would not be planned, he said.
Several members of the town council were receptive to the idea, but they decided to wait until a March 22 meeting to consider allowing Swinson to use the town's endorsement in the letters.
Councilman Dan Wilcox said he wanted to review a draft of any letter that would contain the town's endorsement before voting on the idea, and he wanted to learn more about issues during past Myrtle Beach bike weeks that prompted officials there to enact several ordinances pertaining to motorcycles.
Such restrictions on noise, parking and other motorcycle-related actions have driven many bike clubs to find accommodations and plan events elsewhere near Myrtle Beach. The website advertising this year's Myrtle Beach Bike Week reports that events will be held in Murrells Inlet, S.C., and other areas because of the restrictions.
Swinson said those areas are attracting tourists by advertising accommodations and events to bikers who used to travel to Myrtle Beach for bike week.
"I see this as a missed opportunity to boost our economy in a time when our economy is suffering," he said. "Pleasure Island, as well as all of New Hanover County has so much to offer, and our mainstay is based on the travel and tourism industry."
Swinson urged the council not to be influenced by the stigma that bikers were "rowdy troublemakers." He said the letters would be sent to motorcycle clubs that represented charitable organizations and groups of veterans, firefighters and police officers.
"Are these not the type of people we as a destination resort area would like to have as patrons and customers?" Swinson said.
Wilcox said the town had worked hard to make the island a family environment and that it would be difficult to control motorcycle groups that aren't of the same caliber as the ones representing charitable organizations.
Swinson said he realized Carolina Beach couldn't accommodate the crowds typically seen in Myrtle Beach.
"I'm not wanting to have big rowdy groups," he said. "We'd just like to have some vacationers here, some people who may not have been to our area before that we can get in here to see what we have to offer."
Shannan Bowen: 343-2016