DESTIN, FL - Nothing could top the Destin/Fort Walton Beach area for next year's Florida Harley Owners Group's state rally, the group's Bruce Fuller said.
   
"After being rally coordinator for seven years, this is the best location yet for a rally in the state of Florida," Fuller said. "We have looked at Key Largo, looked at the Gainesville area, we have looked at the Ocala area. ... After being (in Destin) for two days, the selection committee made a decision our bid was going to be for Destin/Fort Walton Beach. We are not looking any further."
   
For one thing, Fuller said, the area's roads are terrific for riding, but largely unexplored by Harley-Davidson riders from other parts of the Southeast. For another, "when we're bringing in thousands of riders; they're all going to be looking for a place to stay. You definitely have the lodging to handle it. You also have sites there for our activities which are terrific."
   
Fuller said Emerald Grande, Hampton Inn and Days Inn - which has a partnership with the national Harley Owners Group - have offered to contract out rooms.
   
Fuller said local support and sponsorship are essential for the Florida group to approve the bid. Each local chapter in the 50,000 member group and each Harley-Davidson dealership gets a vote, he said, and sponsorships "send a message people are serious."
   
Much of the sponsorship funding goes on advertising and promoting the rally among Harley-Davidson owners, Fuller added.
   
At its Wednesday meeting, the Okaloosa County's Tourist Development Council discussed the importance of lining up some sponsorships before Florida HOG votes on next year's sites at this year's rally, which takes place in October in St. Augustine.
   
TDC Chair Ken Paine said the TDC also should tell people that hosting the rally doesn't mean Hell's Angels will descend on the Emerald Coast: Florida HOG's members are professionals and parents with a median income of $85,000.
   
Fuller said the 1 percent of outlaw bikers had distorted the image of the respectable 99 percent.
   
"You can't get any more ‘family' than our organization. ... I'm retired Army, 22 years; my wife, prior to becoming a Realtor, was general manager of a major oil company."
   
The international head of the Harley Owners Group, Fuller added, is a retired admiral.
   
"We're a group of people that's going to ride and have fun," Fuller said. "This is not a wild group, we're a fun group."
   
And potentially a profitable one for the Emerald Coast, because 95 percent will be riding in on their bikes: "You're not going to be carrying food, ice chests, all the other stuff; you're going to be buying everything you need here."
   
Fuller said based on recordsetting interest in this year's rally, plenty of Harley riders will want to attend: Like many other tourists, they are finding it more costeffective to stay in-state rather than take long vacation trips.
   
"Our turnouts are gonna be huge," he said.