Pro-bike rally business leaders to sue Myrtle Beach

Boost Sues Myrtle Beach (Added: April 13, 2009)

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By NEWS RELEASE
Published: April 13, 2009

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MYRTLE BEACH - The group Business Owners Organized to Save Tourism (BOOST) has announced that it is suing the city of Myrtle Beach in response to the city's crackdown on motorcycle rallies.

Leaders of the group held a news conference Monday morning at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center to announce their plans.

According to a news release, BOOST was organized to fight back against what the group calls “blatant anti-rally actions and statements by the City of Myrtle Beach and other local governments and months of intentionally negative press” that members say are taking an unnecessary additional toll on tourism in the already sagging economy.

Along with the announcement of the lawsuit, the group unveiled its “Welcome Bikers” promotional program for the May 2009 Rallies.

According to the release since its inception, BOOST has been raising funds for a multi-track effort which includes:

•Seeking help through the courts to suspend or overturn laws it believes to be discriminatory, inflammatory, unnecessary and in violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution regarding the “right of the people peaceably to assemble.”

•A significant PR and advertising program to inform bikers that, contrary to the City of Myrtle Beach, the May Rallies have not been canceled;

•An effort restore or recover some portion of the millions of dollars of anticipated revenue losses to hotels, restaurants and scores of other types of service and retail businesses and the thousands of residents these business employ;

•A substantial local PR and communications effort designed to inform area residents that their elected officials have increased taxes on local residents while decreasing tourism revenue that would obviate the need for those additional tax increases;

•A significant local advertising and communications effort to both Welcome Bikers to the May Rallies, to inform them of new laws and to encourage them to “have fun, ride safely, obey the law and respect our residents;”

•Helping defend and protect motorcycle-riding tourists from what it believes are “excessive and constitutionally questionable new ordinances;”

News 13 will have more on today's announcement as detail become availabe on scnow.com and News 13 at 5:00 and 6:00.