The City Council could put the brakes on Bikes, Babes and Bling.
That is, if Alderman Matthew Petty is able to convince fellow aldermen to deny the special event permit for the women-focused event proposed for July.
“I think whether it’s a financial benefit to the city is debatable,” Petty said Friday in explaining part of his rationale in lobbying for the rejection of the permit.
Petty said he plans to raise the proposal at the council’s agenda session Tuesday. That meeting will establish the agenda for the council meeting Jan. 19. Votes are not taken at agenda sessions.
Ultimately, the council must approve or deny the permit. The permit stipulates dates, hours of operation and festival specifics such as a need for temporary electrical service, crowd control and vendor booths.
Petty says he has concerns about the level of traffic and noise the festival would bring to town.
“And do we want families trying to enjoy their Fourth of July weekend to have to deal with this?” he added.
Organizers want to hold the rally July 1-3 in downtown Fayetteville, which is covered by the ward Petty represents on the council.
Organizers for Bikes, Babes and Bling did not return calls and e-mail Friday seeking comment.
The idea of a female-centered biker festival grew out of the highly popular Bikes, Blues & BBQ, which celebrated its 10th year in 2008. Like that festival, Bikes, Babes and Bling is billed as a benefit for local charities. That festival is operated by a nonprofit organization.
The older festival brings tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts and their two-wheeled vehicles to Fayetteville and the region. It also typically renews the local debate about whether all the noise and traffic it generates is worth it for the local community.
Council members are not yet saying if they plan to approve the permit.
“I really don't know at this time,” said Brenda Thiel, who represents Ward 1. “I want to hear more from the event coordinators and the public.”
If Facebook is any measure of the public pulse, Bikes, Babes and Bling has a growing following with 560 fans connected to its Facebook page. While the “Residents Against the Bikes, Babes and Bling” page has 38 members.
In early November, the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission approved giving $20,000 as a seed-money grant for the rally. The commission gets its money from the 1 percent city tax on hotels, motels and restaurants, revenue intended to promote tourism in Fayetteville.