Poker Run motorcycle event wins approval

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Acknowledging that thousands of motorcyclists are going to descend on Key West in September even if the Poker Run application is denied, city commissioners voted to approve the event in order to get about $20,000 in anticipated city expenses reimbursed by the sponsor.

Drew Peterson, son of Phil Peterson, who started the Poker Run 45 years ago, agreed to pay for police, fire and ambulance costs associated with the two-day party, which is expected to draw about 10,000 bikers to Key West on September 16 and 17. In the past, Peterson has worked with the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club, making a donation to the organization in return for volunteer help in running the event, which shuts down several downtown streets to provide parking for the motorcycles. The Rotary pulled out this year because the Poker Run donation was not enough to justify the time Rotary volunteers put in.

While agreeing to cover the city’s costs associated with the Poker Run, Peterson argued that a scaled-down event this year would not require as many volunteers.

“I’m just asking. I don’t see why we need a local charity to help grown adults park a motorcycle on the street,” he said.

City Manager Jim Scholl disagreed, pointing out that the motorcyclists need to be told where they cannot park to allow room for emergency vehicles. The application asks that Duval Street from Front to Eaton streets be closed for motorcycle parking, as well as both Greene Street and Caroline Street between Whitehead and Simonton streets.

“It [motorcycle parking] is difficult to control because once it starts, it expands very rapidly if you don’t have the volunteer force there to shepherd the folks to where they can park and keep them from blocking the street to create a potential hazard,” Scholl said.

The idea that Key West is essentially being held hostage to bikers who will come even if the Poker Run is cancelled didn’t sit well with some commissioners. Although a city ordinance would require Peterson to foot the bill for any city services provided that weekend even if his application was denied – since he has been advertising the Poker Run on his website for several months – City Attorney Shawn Smith was not optimistic about the chances of Peterson sending a check.

“The expectation to recover costs on an event that was applied for and denied should be tempered,” he warned.

With that, and reports from some local businesses that the Poker Run provides an influx of cash during the slowest month in the tourism season, commissioners voted 5-2 to approve the application. Voting against it were commissioners Jimmy Weekley and Sam Kaufman. Weekley, who represents the downtown district where the event would take place, said his constituents don’t want the Poker Run because of the roar of thousands of motorcycles driving the downtown streets during what has been a multi-day party. Kaufman was worried about the possibility of motorcycle gang violence. The Poker Run has been largely non-violent for 43 of its 44 years. But last year, a biker was involved in a violent attack on the owner of Rumors Lounge. Although the biker was not wearing gang “colors,” Kaufman said that Peterson has offered no plan to discourage gangs from attending.

“This is an event that attracts motorcycle gangs,” Kaufman said, adding, “What it seems to me is that the organizers are dropping the organization of this event on the city.”

Commissioner Margaret Romero said the possibility of alcohol-fueled violence is something that occurs every weekend in Key West, not just during the Poker Run. She pointed out that a $5 million liability insurance policy is being paid for by the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, one of the Poker Run’s non-local sponsors.

“These people [bikers] have made various plane and hotel reservations. They’re coming anyway,” Romero said. “Right now, if I have somebody willing to help pick up this bill and not put it all on the taxpayers… my vote is let’s give this a chance.”

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