How one Rally attraction has grown following a disaster

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - About eight years ago the Full Throttle Saloon suffered a fire that burned the building to the ground. Since then the event spot moved, rebuilt, and grew with each passing rally.

The fire that burned down Full Throttle Saloon created logistical problems for the staff. This includes being further away from the Rally than they were before.

“It’s a little bit harder to get people this far out, you know it’s a little bit tougher because we were just coming out of town and no matter where you were going people were coming to the Throttle. Now we’ve become more of that destination ride out to come see us,” said Michael Ballard, the owner of the Full Throttle Saloon.

Despite the business’s setbacks, those setbacks aren’t noticeable this year, with bikes nearly filling the parking lot.

To prepare for this year’s rally, Full Throttle’s production manager says it can be better to go in with no plans at all.

“Well there’s no way to really get prepared for the rally you just know it’s gonna be long days it’s gonna be lots of goalposts moving, daily schedules are gonna change, and bands are gonna fall off. So you just have to be flexible and you just have to adapt on the run,” said Mark Butler, the production manager for the Full Throttle Saloon.

While the plan for this year’s rally might be adaption, there’s a bigger goal at play.

Ballard says he plans to continue expanding until Full Throttle is a national brand.

“We’re walking across the country and our goal is to have 15 locations in the next five years in all major cities and tourist locations across the country, so Branson Missouri is our next location and then Orlando Florida after that,” said Ballard.

Full Throttle Saloon will be open for the Rally with shows every day starting at 11 in the morning.

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