Bike Rally Canceled, Small Town Feeling The Financial Impact

6,400 bikers attended the 2019 Sturgis Kentucky Bike Rally, bringin nearly $500,000 in revenue for the city of just 1,800 people.

From facebook... new tonight at 5 -- the small community of sturgis kentucky -- is feeling the silent sting - of the annual bike rally being canceled.

The event was unable to secure the usual venue lease -- to hold the event -- despite plans to space out attendees.

44news reporter tyler druin -- is digging into the economic impact - to the tight- knit town.

"well last year we had 6400 bikers come into town, they spend a lot of money, at my bike shop, the grocery store, the dollar story, the restaurants, everyone profits from it" carlene thomas and her husband own this sturgis kentucky motorcycle store - they also organize the kentucky bike rally "we have the bike rally every year the third weekend of july" since 1993 bikers from all over would come to enjoy good food, live music, and old stories from longtime friends - the rally generally held in july was postponed until this september weekend "our judge ex asked us to change it to a later date, so we changed it to september, we had to cancel again because he said there would be to many bikers coming in from out of town" generally the streets of sturgis would be packed with about 6400 motorcycles for the ky bike rally, this year, with the cancellation, businesses say they're really feeling the economic impact" "as far away as evansville indiana, the ky lake area, madiosnville, henderson kentucky, over in illinois, the hotels are all full, everyone makes a lot of money during this rally" with a population of just 1800 people the small kentucky city depends on this annual bike rally to keep their doors open through the winter months "i spent $103,000 just to the people in union county, i paid, that was out of my check book, like my radios, signs, my port a potty, my workers out there, thousands and thousands of dollars was lost this weekend because we didnt get to have the rally" organizers estimate nearly half a million dollars will be lost in revenue in the last 14 days covid-19 cases have surged in the rule kentucky community, the highest spike in covid-19 cases for the county since the pandemic began "we will be back july 15-18 next year we will beat the virus, and be back better than ever see you next year" in sturgis kentucky tyler druin 44news thanks tyler-- well you may not be able to roll into the bike rally-- but-- no doubt-- you can still go out and enjoy this nice weather while its still around storm team 44 chief store - they also organize the kentucky bike rally "we have the bike rally every year the third weekend of july" since 1993 bikers from all over would come to enjoy good food, live music, and old stories from longtime friends - the rally generally held in july was postponed until this september weekend "our judge ex asked us to change it to a later date, so we changed it to september, we had to cancel again because he said there would be to many bikers coming in from out of town" generally the streets of sturgis would be packed with about 6400 motorcycles for the ky bike rally, this year, with the cancellation, businesses say they're really feeling the economic impact" "as far away as evansville indiana, the ky lake area, madiosnville, henderson kentucky, over in illinois, the hotels are all full, everyone makes a lot of money during this rally" with a population of just 1800 people the small kentucky city depends on this annual bike rally to keep their doors open through the winter months "i spent $103,000 just to the people in union county, i paid, that was out of my check book, like my radios, signs, my port a potty, my workers out there, thousands and thousands of dollars was lost this weekend because we didnt get to have the rally" organizers estimate nearly half a million dollars will be lost in revenue in the last 14 days covid-19 cases have surged in the rule kentucky community, the highest spike in covid-19 cases for the county since the pandemic began "we will be back july 15-18 next year we will tt tn erseyone in4nsku e unigunnj ndot- this nice weather while its still around storm team 44 chief meteorologist-- cameron hopman--