River City Bike Week delays plans for event in downtown Grand Rapids until 2012

GRAND RAPIDS – The sponsors of River City Bike Week announced today they will be putting off their plans to stage a downtown rally by one year.

The rally will continue at the Lake Odessa Speedway from July 19 to July 24 with a possible venue in downtown Grand Rapids in 2012, said Mark Mensch, head of the nonprofit group.

The rally, which originally hoped to stage an 8-day event downtown, had to scale back its plans to a 3-day weekend event in the face of objections from downtown businesses, residents and city officials.

“I have no issues with the city of Grand Rapids,” Mensch. said. “I feel they did their job with due diligence and hope they will allow us to come back this fall with a more friendly proposal for 2012.”

Mensch said the delay in plans and the smaller event failed to draw national vendors or sponsors. The loss of downtown beer tent and food vendors gutted expected revenue, he said.

The event at the Ionia County speedway will help them build a business plan for the 2012 event, Mensch said.

The announcement caught downtown businesses by surprise.

“We’re disappointed, and we’re shocked,” said Monica Sparks, spokeswoman for The Arena District, a network of 59 downtown bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.