Amgen bicycle race news expected soon
| Tuesday, Jun 30 2009 08:29 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Jun 30 2009 08:29 PM
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By now, much has been made of the city’s application to be part of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, the United States’ premiere professional bicycle race, set to take place May 16-23.
Far less has been said about how the bid came together.
The city tourism bureau helped pull together a local group — including organizations ranging from the chamber of commerce to media organizations, to hospitals — that ended up submitting an application in June.
Such a foundation was required by race organizer AEG, which also insists that the entity be a nonprofit. The local foundation has a pending application to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
If the amount of money committed through the foundation effort is any indication of the level of interest (and if often is), consider that the group, the Bakersfield Sports Foundation, tallied pledges of $162,000, said Don Cohen, head of the Bakersfield Convention & Visitors Bureau.
To him, that would be money well spent.
“We may never, and never again, have an opportunity to be put on live international television broadcast in 200 countries, where your name — Bakersfield — is put out there in the most favorable light,” he said.
Foundation president and bike store owner Kerry Ryan sounds hopeful.
“We feel our proposal exceeds the host city requirements set forth by AEG and look forward to bringing this first-class event to Bakersfield,” he said in a news release.
An announcement on whether the race will pass through Bakersfield is expected this month.
