New Venues For Vroom-ers
By MIKE SCHNEIDER The Associated Press
Published: Mar 12, 2005
ORMOND BEACH - Just as gamblers have Las Vegas, theme park junkies have Orlando and faded music stars have Branson, Mo., bikers soon will have their own tourist spot to hang up their helmets: Destination Daytona.
The 150-acre complex - which eventually will have condominiums, hotel rooms, a Harley-Davidson dealership, a motorcycle maintenance school, a motorcycle parts shop, restaurants, bars, retailers and a civic center - reflects the changing demographics of bikers.
In the past two decades, motorcycles have attracted wealthier, older owners and more women who no longer settle for the tent lodging and T-shirt souvenirs of biker gatherings of years past. Although Daytona Beach, and surrounding communities like Ormond Beach, long have been biker havens, there never has been a self-contained complex with so many biker-related venues in one place.
``The whole demographics, you know, through the years has changed,'' said John Parham, owner of J&P Cycles, which sells aftermarket motorcycle parts and will open a store at Destination Daytona. ``People have more discretionary income and want to enjoy their motorcycles and want to enjoy their nice hotel and aren't afraid to spend money to do that.''
The number of motorcycles in the United States - 8.8 million - is a third more than in 1998, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, an industry group.
The percentage of female ownership has increased from 6.4 percent in 1990 to 9.6 percent in 2003. The median age of motorcycle owners is 42, up from 27 in 1985; the median income of motorcycle owners is $55,850, up from $25,600 in 1985, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.
Part of the increase in older, wealthier bikers may come from middle-aged riders who enjoyed motorcycles as young adults but gave them up when they had families, said Mike Mount, a spokesman for the Motorcycle Industry Council.
``These are re-entry riders, the guys or gals who might have ridden in the 1970s and really liked it but then had a family,'' Mount said. ``Now that the kids are gone and they have more disposable income, they have motorcycles back on the want list.''
The first phase of the Destination Daytona opens in June, but it has gotten plenty of buzz at this year's Bike Week, the gathering of hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists in the Daytona Beach area this week.
The project had been scheduled to open during the annual motorcycle festival, but the erection of concrete structures at the intersection of Interstate 95 and U.S. 1, about 10 miles north of Daytona Beach, was delayed because of last year's hurricanes.
``This is like, if not a Fantasyland, a Disneyland for motorcycle enthusiasts,'' said Jim Betlach, who works for biker magazine publisher Paisano Publications and has purchased a 1,000-square-foot condo in the development for $150,000.
``I've been in this industry for 35 years. Quite frankly, I've never seen anything like this.''
The $50 million project was the brainchild of Bruce Rossmeyer, owner of 10 Harley-Davidson dealerships, who plans to offer some high-end touches at his Destination Daytona dealership. Harley buyers have a median income of about $80,000.
One service would fly customers to Daytona Beach, put them up in hotel rooms at Destination Daytona, feed them, sell them bikes, take them on short rides to either St. Augustine or Walt Disney World and then fly them back. Several days later, their Harleys would be delivered to their homes.
The service would cost $1,000 more than the cost of a bike bought at a local dealer.
``Today, it's like doctors and attorneys,'' Rossmeyer said. ``They come out. They don't shave for a week. They've got their pressed jeans and Gucci shoes, and they think they're bikers. But they're out having fun.''
Not everyone is happy with Destination Daytona. Some mom-and-pop Daytona Beach merchants worry the development will move the focus of Bike Week and the area's other big biker event, Biketoberfest, along with their millions of dollars in sales, away from the shops and restaurants on Daytona Beach's Main Street and Beach Street. A 2001 study put the economic output of the biker events at $744 million.
``With anything of that magnitude, there are some people in the area that are concerned that it will take away from what they're making,'' said Tom Guest, owner of Choppers World, a motorcycle accessories store, and president of the Main Street Merchants Association.
``I'm just hoping it will be good for the whole area.''
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FACT SHEET
From BikeWeek.com
~ 150-acre Tourist Destination to Open During Summer 2005
~ The world’s largest Harley-Davidson dealership in history totaling 109,000 sq. ft. including a 53,953 sq. ft. showroom with over 200 motorcycles, a 45,897 sq. ft. service department and a 9,800 sq. ft. MotorClothes area.
~ HOTEL/CONDOMINUM VILLAGE: Two-story, over 100-room Hotel & condominium
~ RESTAUARNTS: Restaurants including 3,500 sq. ft. The Daytona Pig, the 7,000 sq. ft. Quarterdeck Restaurant, the 4,200 sq. ft. San Francisco Kitchen as well as Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, Subway, Krispy Kreme Donuts and Hot Dog Heaven
~ BARS/NIGHCLUBS: Two (2) themed bars owned by Tim Van Patten (Director of HBO’s The Sopranos & Sex in the City)
~ RETAIL: Two buildings - 28,000 sq. ft. of retail space
~ PARKING: 20 acres of parking facilities with shuttle services
~ The 32,000 sq. ft. outdoor amphitheatre, "Coke Pavillion" expected to house at least one event per month
~ Nine (9) acres for the renowned “Love Truck Stop,” which is expected to be the largest Love Travel Stop in the country
~ J&P Cycles -- parts and accessories for your motorcycle
~ 80,000 sq. ft. of motorcycle-related for businesses
~ 5,000 sq. ft. “Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Boss Custom Motorcycles,” whose customers include Miami HEAT star Shaquille O’Neal and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler
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