Harley-Davidson changing rally locations, leaving Rapid City

Off the Wire
Rally & Event News

Rapid City will not host Harley-Davidson during the 2010 Sturgis motorcycle rally.

After more than 20 years, the motorcycle company is moving its corporate presence from its usual location at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center to Sturgis, according Brian Maliski, the civic center’s general manager.

Harley-Davidson is under new management and has refocused its vision, Maliski said. Company officials want to be closer to their customers by bringing the company to them instead of having the customers come to the company, according to Maliski.

“My understanding was that the new Harley CEO wanted to be in Sturgis itself,” Maliski said.

A phone call to Harley-Davidson corporate headquarters was not returned Sunday.

The company told the civic center administration after last year’s rally that 2010 would be different, according to Jayne Kraemer, civic center assistant general manager. On Thursday, Harley-Davidson told the civic center it would be moving to Sturgis this year. The company is considering a site near the Sturgis Community Center, according to Kraemer.

Civic center officials say the move will cost them about $31,000, since Harley-Davidson is a mid-level vendor. (The Rapid City Rush and the Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo are the civic center’s top vendors.)

“Financially, it’s not going to be a travesty to the civic center, but Harley has been one of our partners for over 20 years, and when you lose that, it’s sad,” Maliski said.

In previous shows, Harley-Davidson has showcased new models, parts and accessories at the civic center during the Sturgis rally.

In its heyday, Harley-Davidson had a large presence -- spending about $100,000 per show and bringing in as many people -- but the company started shrinking its show in 2005 and pushed it entirely outside the civic center building last year.

Maliski said the civic center lost its advantage with the company when it moved outside. With 4,000 parking spaces, the civic center excels at indoor events with about a half-million square feet of inside space, Maliski said.

The local Harley dealership, Black Hills Harley-Davidson, was not a part of the discussion between corporate headquarters and the civic center, according to Terry Rymer, general manager of the local store. He said the dealership set up at the civic center each year so customers could buy Harley-Davidson products; the corporate show only displayed merchandise but did not sell it.

As a franchise, Black Hills Harley-Davidson is free to make its own decisions about its rally venues. Rymer said his store hasn’t formalized plans for this year’s rally yet.

Contact Holly Meyer at 394-8421 or holly.meyer@rapidcityjournal.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

original article