Volume 15 Issue 1 - January
The Road Map
Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
Agreement with Harley-Davidson to bring 2nd Street Plaza to Life Many of you may remember (or were a part of) the community mee ngs that occurred over several years regarding the revitaliza‐ on of our Downtown core. The concept of a downtown plaza (among others) was born from those discus‐ sions, but the challenge was always how to fund it. A partnership between the City of Sturgis and Harley‐ Davidson brings this year‐round community gathering spot to reali‐ ty much sooner while retaining much of the original vision. The permanent plaza will be con‐ structed on the corner of Second and Main Street ‐ a property owned by the City of Sturgis since last summer. It was previously a parking lot owned by First Inter‐ state Bank. The space will be a permanent showcase of not just the Rally’s legacy, but also, a tangible benefit for the Sturgis community has earned through 75 years of hos ng one of the largest motorcycle gatherings in the world. The space will include a stage for events, con‐
fronts, rather than just passing through. The new mul purpose space builds on the lega‐ cy of the Harley‐ Davidson brand and will incorporate bricks from the company’s Milwau‐ kee headquarters, a building that once housed the company’s first permanent factory da ng back nearly 100 years. certs and other year‐round cele‐ bra ons where riders, tourists and the greater Sturgis community will gather. It will also be available for more in mate gatherings like birthday and anniversary par es or class reunions. Our Community Christ‐ mas Tree will retain its space there through the holiday season. The addi onal greenery and plant life will make it an ideal place for lo‐ cals to enjoy a picnic lunch or book. Tourists will appreciate the photo opportuni es and a chance to experience a li le bit of Rally history beyond August. This new draw will ideally keep them in town longer spending their dollars at Sturgis’ restaurants and store‐
The plaza will be under construc on beginning in March and will be complete prior to the August 3 start of the 75th Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally ™. This announcement is one of sev‐ eral developments in Downtown. Just in the last few months, the na onal Dominos Pizza Franchise announced its new building on Main Street. On the other end of Main, Indian Motorcycle Sturgis is hard at work building their beau ‐ ful new campus. We’re excited to see this progress and will con nue to work with our community partners to do our part to ensure that these successes are just the start of many more good things for our community.