Comments on: Bikes, Babes & Bling to merge with Bikes, Blues & BBQ in 2012

By: David Franks

David Franks — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 22:04:56 +0000

RE “And believe it or not, bikers read books and buy books too.”
Not according to the owners of the book shops on Dickson Street.

RE “so any way you look at it they actually do make money off of it.”
Well, then– let’s bring back public hangings. Everybody eventually makes money.

However, that’s a specious argument. For one thing, and particularly in the case of Underwood’s, it is not likely that the amount of revenue a merchant gains indirectly as a result of BB&BBQ&B&B will ever equal the amount of revenue lost directly as a result of BB&BBQ&B&B. The ill effects are concentrated on a relatively small number of merchants; the benefits are diffused throughout northwest Arkansas.

You said, “Name one local business that doesn’t make more money during the rally?” Innarested Observer did so. Waiting for reduced income to hopefully trickle in someday does not constitute making more money during the rally, and I doubt that those college-age waitpersons and busboys are going to wander into Underwood’s later in the month to buy jewelry.

Please provide a source of information supporting your claim that MILLIONS of dollars are brought in (particularly millions that justify all-caps), and explain why downtown Fayetteville should bear the brunt of a festival that must be justified by its benefit to the entire region.

By: bres

bres — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:21:49 +0000

Exactly! You make money from one job, then you spend money all over town, simple as that!

By: Innarested Observer

Innarested Observer — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:19:53 +0000

My bad for getting into an argument with someone who has his mind made up.

By: cody

cody — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:39:47 +0000

Actually, laundry mats get used by the visitors, a lot. And believe it or not, bikers read books and buy books too. But even if they didn’t spend their money at the bookstore, they spend their money in the bars where college students work, that money goes into the pockets of said college students and then they buy books. so any way you look at it they actually do make money off of it.

By: Innarested Observer

Innarested Observer — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:36:01 +0000

Twas easy. But probably could have said the bookstores, the laundromat, Collier or any other business that doesn’t sell food or drink.

By: David Franks

David Franks — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:32:02 +0000

I didn’t even have to read the comment you responded to: I instantly, automatically knew when I saw the word “Underwoods” in the “Comments” display on the Flyer home page that you were responding to the challenge to name one business that doesn’t make money during BB&BBQ&B&B. (I attribute this power to a relatively good memory rather than to any paranormal phenomenon.)

By: Innarested Observer

Innarested Observer — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:18:02 +0000

Underwoods.

By: Cody

Cody — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:47:44 +0000

I find it really funny the argument that Bikes Blues and BBQ does not boost the local and regional economies. For one weekend out of the year MILLIONS of dollars from all over the world are brought into Northwest Arkansas and spent at local bars, restaurants, motels, camp grounds, gas stations, liquor stores, jewelery stores, etc… The number of people in Fayetteville doubles for one weekend out of the year. Every vendor pays taxes, not to mention the hundreds of dollars they pay into our local economy per vendor just to set up. The crime rate during that weekend is actually lower than the rest of the year as far as violent crime goes. Most of these “bikers” are doctors, lawyers, business owners, etc… Every bar and restaurant near Dickson St pays for their entire year of rent just off of BBBBQ. You say that last year you spent $3000 just to get out of town for the rally? Where’d you go, Spain? Now just think that you spent that much to get out of town, where 100,000 visitors spent that much while in town. Look at the other major motorcycle rallies in the United States and the millions of dollars they generate for their host cities. Yeah its noisy, yeah theres a lot more people in town and yeah there are those that get drunk and piss in your yard(even though that happens every weekend on Dickson Street throughout the year). Name one local business that doesn’t make more money during the rally?

By: Innarested Observer

Innarested Observer — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 23:27:10 +0000

Brest, I’m not going to waste my time AGAIN looking up stuff I’ve looked up before and posted here about. I know the facts. Until you bring something that shows otherwise, OINK!

By: Jerry Dude

Jerry Dude — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:52:31 +0000

I think of them as drag queens on two wheels, the men and the women.

By: bres

bres — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:38:00 +0000

And sales tax records are public records if you are concerned enough to go check it out.

By: bres

bres — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:35:35 +0000

To the PIG, Innarested Observer….would you need to go lie in the street and be ran over by a car to believe that it would hurt?? I’m just going to take peoples word for it that have been in that situation because I can see the physical changes, emotional damage and discomfort on their faces. Same as with BBB, I don’t have to be the accountant to see the increase in sales tax revenue from all of the business during and after BBB. And yes all vendors report their sales during the event and file the taxes just like any other business on Dickson Street or in Fayetteville. And not ALL vendors are from out of town. My taxes will be paid from the proceeds of this event by being a vendor and the local business at which I work. And I will benefit from the economic boost that comes from each person making more money because they in turn can spend more money after the fact at my local business that is totally unrelated to BBB. It’s a circle and you only need half a brain to know that. If you are not in favor of this event continue to take your vacation at the time of it. Not everyone likes every event, but they don’t leave town when the football games, craft fairs etc or whatever they don’t like comes around. You can’t rule the world! Suck it up and do something better with your time than being ‘concerned’ with things that you can’t control! I don’t ride bikes, not a biker babe BUT more power to them! Ride like the wind baby! See you in September!

By: Innarested Observer

Innarested Observer — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:27:58 +0000

Like urinating and littering up and down my street, over-revving motors well past midnight, etc etc etc… if this alleged charity event were donating serious scratch to needy charities instead of the pittance they give to certain organizations who could really use a hand, I’d be more open to the disruptions. But I find the entire enterprise dishonest. The fanboys always want to turn this into a “you kids get off my lawn” accusation, but most citizens here are willing to put up with some ish if the benefits are clear. But the leadership and backers of this Charlie Foxtrot have obfuscated for YEARS, dragging their feet on information or just outright perpetuating lies about the numbers around it.

If they didn’t have a reason to be secretive about their business and the costs, they wouldn’t be.

By: Innarested Observer

Innarested Observer — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:23:08 +0000

Yay glutenfree!

By: gak

gak — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:28:30 +0000

we did just fine before there were any biker festivals and their supposed revenue and we don’t need them and the crime, inconvenience and aggravation now. where are the police late on the nights of these events? I see things done by bikers that would never be allowed the rest of the year by people who live here.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:36:32 +0000

Informed tax payer and woman.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:35:20 +0000

What about the hotel/motel business? I would be interested in a survey from local businesses, their average weekend sales verses BBB weekend sales.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:28:01 +0000

What about the revenue created for the area business, the sales taxes used to benefit your community and schools, and all the donations collected for the beneficiaries…will you as eagerly replace the funds generated by BBB?

By: Ryan Craig

Ryan Craig — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:02:30 +0000

Economic benefit or not, I always love the extra Halloween in September!

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:26:36 +0000

Observer: So what you are saying is that you instead of spending 3k in travel expenses else where you would have spent the same amount on hotels, gas, souvenirs, meals in your own home town that weekend? =)