2nd POW*MIA rally location in-question

After deciding to change the venue for their annual rally, the POW*MIA Awareness Group was offered to hold it at the Pocatello Raceway. The city, however, says more steps need to be taken.

The reason the group decided to move the rally from the Bannock County Fairgrounds is because of a new concession contract in place. The contract would prevent the group from serving their own concessions at the rally, which is a big part of the group’s profits.

Heidi Young, the group’s director, said that’s when the Pocatello Raceway invited the rally to be at its location. For an event outside of the raceway’s normal operations to happen there, the event needs to fall under certain parameters.

Young thought the rally did fall in the parameters.

“The attorney who reviewed (the raceway’s lease) felt like our event fit,” she said.

When the city’s attorney caught wind of the event’s relocation, he disagreed it fell within the lease’s guidelines. Under the lease, if an event falls out of the lease’s parameters, then city council has to approve.

“The Pocatello Raceway’s lease covers things like concerts, carnivals, and automobile racing,” said Logan McDougall, the city’s public information officer. “What it does not cover is a motorcycle rally.”

While the rally is in limbo, Young said she’s optimistic, especially because of the rally’s significance to the community.

“This is an event that raises a lot of awareness for service men and women and it’s an event that proves we will leave no fallen comrade behind,” she said.

Young also said there are alternatives in place if city council disapproves the event.

The rally is an agenda item during this Thursday’s city council meeting, the public is invited to watch the proceedings but won’t be allowed to speak on the discussion. If approved, there would be some stipulations to follow, like having a security plan approved by the police department.