LTVA attempts to lure motorcyclists with money
By Kathryn Reed
STATELINE – Expect to see hundreds of touring motorcyclists on the South Shore in August.
The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority on Jan. 12 authorized $15,000 for the inaugural Lake Tahoe Moto Adventure. The Tahoe-Douglas Visitors Authority is putting $5,000 toward the event.
Mike Frye, who is the events guru for LTVA, said the Street Vibrations crowd is not the demographic tourism officials want to bring to this area.
Of the touring biker crowd, he said, “They probably don’t have a six-shooter in their pocket.” This was in reference to the gunfight last year in Reno involving Street Vibrations participants.
Touring riders are in the 35- to 65-year-old group, with a household income of more than $100,000.
The touring event is tentatively set for the last weekend of August, with MontBleu being the host hotel. During the day on and off road rides would be staged throughout the area. Vendors would be set up at the casino.
“The other piece is we’d have guest speakers these guys want to hear and other activities,” Frye told the LTVA board at the Thursday meeting.
He estimates the economic impact on the South Shore ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. The span is based on a participation guess of 200 to 500 people.
Mike Bradford, who is on the TDVA board, told his LTVA counterparts, “No one else is doing anything like this. People know this niche is not being satisfied.”
A member of the audience, who is also a motorcycle owner, questioned whether summer 2012 is logical when Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe will be torn up again, causing delays. The board in its unanimous vote to fund the event didn’t make mention of the Caltrans project. (Tom Davis was absent.)
What a great idea! But I think I know where the LTVA got it:
http://www.ktm.com/fileadmin/media/country/us/Copy_of_KTM_AdvRallyReg_Tahoe_Page_1.jpg
This event already happened! Why not work with the previous organizers to bring it back?
Aren’t there lots of passionate locals with similar ideas for “homegrown” events? Like a bouldering comp, SUP events, disc golf, etc? TAMBA is considering a Fat Tire Festival in 2012…
This town can’t delay getting revenue generating events because of road work. We need tourists and money now if we hope to economically survive. Hopefully this group will have a great time in spite of the traffic delays and this event will be scheduled again so they can be in SLT without long traffic delays.
What a beautiful ride for them, love to hear the rumble :)
Maybe road work could take this weekend into consideration, and slack off. I can’t imagine anything like last Summer again, but I could be wrong!
Congratulations LTVA. I am always impressed with Reno’s ability to attract events and it looks like our LTVA is taking lessons from them. Let’s hope they continue to be successful.
its interestimg that you quote Mike Frye
about street vibrations he’s never been there.
as a motorcycle enthusiast I know that this event would be good for our town
If Fry suggests 500 people will bring $500,000 then Snowglobe’s 10,000 people brought in 10,000,000 ? Mike your assumptions are way off
Frank, why are equating Snowglobe patrons with people who can afford a $15-20,000 touring bike?
I was going to overlook it, but…
“Touring riders ARE in the 35- to 65-year-old group, with a household income of more than $100,000.”
Really they all are? I’m sure some are, but not all.
What age do you think all those college, and just beyond young people will be in, oh, let’s see, 10 years or so? Maybe they will be riding some nice touring bikes by then, and/or bringing their young families up to Tahoe, because of their wonderful memories from being here in their youth.
Careabout, exactly.
Maybe the date should be more carefully considered. We have anything going on Julyu 26-29, or just before or after, here at Tahoe?
The A.M.A. is sponsoring the International Women & Motorcycling Conference, July 26-29, in Carson City.
My wife and I were the organizers of the Sidecar camping, demonstrations, contess, etc.,…events headquartered at Camp Richardson in Summer of 2009. It brought a lot of money-spending touring motorcyclists, QUIET ONES primarily. Never heard even one complaint from any Tahoe folks, not in the slightest, about our event, nor of ANY loud motorcycles.
We had hundreds of attendees, who filled the Camp Rich Hotel and a considerable number used local motels. Restaurants and many more businesses benefited.
August is the busiest month of the year. South Lake Tahoe does not need an event at this time of year. Make it mid September.
In a formerly free enterprise economy when you have government or Non Profit agencies running everything you are destined for poor performance.
Ya get what ya got SLT and frankly it is nothing to be proud of.