One of downtown Mesa’s most popular monthly events is threatened after its organizer announced he’s pulling his sponsorship of Motorcycles on Main.
Jon Richards said the Dec. 3 event is the last he’ll put his own time and money into because of what he considers excessive regulation and a lack of city support.
He and other merchants created Motorcycles on Main out of frustration that the city and the Downtown Mesa Association weren’t doing enough to sponsor events and make downtown lively. The merchants even created an organization called Downtown Events to oversee the activities.
The first event was held in February and has since attracted about 3,000 people on the first Friday of each month. The event’s success triggered the same merchants to propose another monthly event — Rats, Rods & Roadsters.
But organizers would have had to pay $3,000 a year for city permits, the cost of mailing event notices to property owners several times a year, and the expense of a complaint hotline and log, Richards said.
Most merchants welcomed the events, Richards said, but four unhappy landowners tried to block it.
“It’s getting progressively easier to do things downtown, but there is a strong reaction from property owners who own a lot of property to not have events in downtown,” Richards said. “Those property owners do not own downtown Mesa. The community owns downtown Mesa.”
Richards said he spent about $3,000 of his own money and hundreds of hours on Motorcycles on Main, but he estimated it would cost $75,000 a year to produce if everybody involved was paid. He planned to turn the event over to the city or DMA after proving it would succeed, but he said both entities refused any meaningful support.
Richards wasn’t willing to keep spending his own money. The event did have other sponsors, including Chester’s Harley-Davidson of Mesa, and Richards said he hopes those supporters will take it over. Nobody has stepped up yet.
A survey of merchants showed the event generated $360,000 in extra business, Richards said.
The DMA wants the event to stay downtown, said David Short, its executive director. Short said he’ll look into what can be done. He began his job Nov. 1, after the DMA’s board of directors hired him because of his background organizing events.
“That’s a big piece of what they brought me here to do,” Short said.
Mesa Mayor Scott Smith agreed he’d like the event to continue. Smith has been critical of the DMA and has called for a more robust effort to improve downtown.
Smith said Richards has overstated the level of resistance, adding the city is working to cut red tape so it’s easier to stage events. Smith said it would have been unimaginable just a few years ago that Mesa would close Main – and to allow beer gardens.
“These events would never have happened or been a success if the city didn’t have a drastic change in how it did things,” Smith said.
He acknowledged merchants may still run into bumps as Mesa tries to change decades-old regulations. Less restrictive rules should be in place in about two months, Smith said.
Richards said despite his frustration, he believes the event proves downtown can attract visitors and be lively. Richards said Motorcycles on Main defied skeptics, including the DMA’s early view on it.
“I was told it was impossible to close Main,” Richards said. “We found out it can be closed. We can have events on Main Street and make this a community center again. You’re not going to have a vibrant downtown if you don’t push these events forward.”
Geepers posted at 3:26 pm on Wed, Nov 24, 2010.
Thanks to Mr Jon Richards for his efforts in trying to draw customers to the downtown district. It's a shame that the select group of business owners can't get on board with the majority. This same group of businesses will next be complaining about the lack of customers in a couple years when light rail construction begins. Hopefully, Mr Short will be able to build upon the successes of Mr Richards. Time will tell.
mymesa posted at 8:27 pm on Wed, Nov 24, 2010.
Those merchants who are opposed to bring the classic cars downtown, and thus hurting the rest of the merchants are:
Premier Events/Premier Audio, Jim Gleason & his wife
Fabric Factory, Terry McCook
Crystal Russell, DMA (property owners association)
The Good Store Thrift, Glenn Backmore
Susan Tibshraeny
Taken from http://thoughtsonmesa.blogs..
Carolyn posted at 1:17 am on Fri, Nov 26, 2010.
Mr. Richards shouldn't have been surprised at the lack of support from the City, as well as the LIES about "not being able to close down Main Street - the conservative morons who have "run" Mesa for years aren't into anything that might be even slightly "cool" or fun - they're too busy being stuffed shirts.
Mazz posted at 5:38 pm on Tue, Nov 30, 2010.
This was a FUN outing and my family and I had a wonderful time! I am glad things like this are happening on Main again.
So many people want downtown Mesa to be as Cosmopolitan as Scottsdale or Glendale. Events like these are awesome and bring people in Mesa out from under their rocks...The Fabric Factory? Really? And Premier Events...why would they not help with the preparation? Do these people know the magnitude of events like "Cruising for the Cure" can have on a Main Street like Mesa!
Wonder what the same people are going to say when the lightrail comes through....Progress is gonna run the naysayers right over!
Vixen2326 posted at 1:42 pm on Tue, Dec 21, 2010.
That's such a shame. It was that event that got me to go to downtown Mesa. I found out how nice it was and continued to visit the stores. It's sad when a few can ruin it for everyone else. Hope it contiues.
steveb123 posted at 4:51 am on Fri, Jul 15, 2011.
Thanks Jon Richards for putting your time, efforts and money for this event. This is really bad news for us; I come to know about ending sponsorship after read this post. I was attending this event once and i really impressed.
I wish this event will start again.
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