Rogers weighs closing downtown for bike race

Janet Reese, from left, Randy Stepp, June Ghahremani (Cq), and Erin Stepp ride towards the finish line Saturday, June 21, 2014, at Ben Geren Park in Fort Smith. The race featured rides of varying length - from 10 to 100 miles - for both rode and mountain bike riders. Proceeds from the third annual event benefit the Community Services Clearinghouse.
Janet Reese, from left, Randy Stepp, June Ghahremani (Cq), and Erin Stepp ride towards the finish line Saturday, June 21, 2014, at Ben Geren Park in Fort Smith. The race featured rides of varying length - from 10 to 100 miles - for both rode and mountain bike riders. Proceeds from the third annual event benefit the Community Services Clearinghouse.

ROGERS -- City officials are reviewing a cycling festival that would close about 15 blocks of downtown Rogers for a day.

The Bentonville Planning Commission earlier this month approved downtown street closures for the Natural State Criterium Series on Aug. 5. Event organizers want to stage a second day of the event in downtown Rogers on Aug. 6.

"There will be racers coming from all over the country and people watching the race," said Paxton Roberts, Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks executive director. "The goal is to get as many people out to the downtown areas as possible."

A $75,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation will help fund the event, Roberts said. A $35,000 prize purse is expected to draw people into the state for the USA Cycling-sanctioned race, he said.

The event could pull in more than 300 cyclists and 1,000 spectators, depending on the weather, Roberts said.

"This will be one of about 30 big races across the country," Roberts said. "It will be on the national race calendar."

A request to close Rogers streets and parking lots has been floating on the city Transportation Committee's agenda for about two months. It has twice been tabled.

Gary Townzen, one of three committee members, asked for the request to be tabled during the most recent meeting earlier this month. He said he has heard concerns from residents and business owners about the streets being closed.

Clarice Moore, owner of the Rabbit's Lair, attended the Transportation Committee meeting earlier this month.

"It was a shock when I first learned about the event," Moore said Friday.

Moore originally had some concerns about people being able get to her store. Her opinion changed after she talked with city officials.

"If the city thinks they have it under control and can take care of it -- then I am OK," Moore said. "We have to adapt to new things."

Shane Zimmerman, co-owner of Parkside Public and The Rail in downtown Rogers, said events such as the bike series are good for the area.

"It gets people on foot," Zimmerman said. "They are slower than in their cars. They can read the menu in the window. It is a cool event, and nothing I have ever seen in downtown Rogers."

Kalene Griffith, president of Visit Bentonville, said it could be exciting to partner with Rogers for the event.

"People will come in and get two different experiences, and that is what brings in those races. They want multiple, different experiences," Griffith said. "I hope this becomes a big success and could be three, four or maybe five days. All of a sudden we could create this cool Natural State series that has a huge economic impact to our region."

Metro on 04/24/2016

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