After days without an explanation, the Village of Grayslake released a statement today about the cancellation of the Ironhorse Roundup Bike Show.
The show, which was scheduled to take place May 4 at the Lake County Fairgrounds, was canceled mid-day May 2. According to a release from the village, the reason for the cancellation was that the Grayslake Police Department received information from the Illinois State Police Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center and specific intelligence from federal law enforcement agencies that the Outlaws motorcycle club, a group identified by federal authorities as an international criminal organization, was actively organizing its members to attend the show for probable violence with another motorcycle club.
"We empathize with members of the Lake County Fairgrounds, the personnel of the Austin's Saloon, all the event organizers, the many vendors and all those who planned on attending the event," Perry said in the release. "This was a difficult decision to make. Although much consideration was given to the impacts of the cancellation on people whose business interests were at stake, we ultimately made the decision to cancel based on a very credible threat against the health and safety of those attending the event and the residents of Grayslake."
The reason for the cancellation could not be given earlier, officials said, because the information needed to be verified with other agencies.
But that doesn't make Mark Khayat, owner of Austin's Saloon & Eatery in Libertyville, feel any better about the situation.
"I'm totally frustrated," Khayat said.
Austin's hosts the bike show, which took place at Austin's for the last three years.
Khayat said he expected about 40,000 people to come to this year's event, along with four music groups scheduled to perform and vendors from out of town.
"People had already left and were on their way," he said.
Khayat said he was shocked when he got the call from the Lake County Fair Association that the event's permit was canceled.
"My reaction was, 'I'm sure we can work something out; there's no way they can do this,'" he said. "It felt like a bad dream."
He added that a percentage of money from the show was going to go to Challenge Aspen Military Operations, which teaches disabled veterans how to ski, mountain climb and repel.
Although the event was canceled, Grayslake police personnel were at the fairgrounds and other areas of the community May 4, officials said. And the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the Illinois State Police provided special operations units to enhance police protection in the area.
Perry said the cancellation was not made because of any negative feelings the village has toward the show.
"In no way does our decision to cancel this event reflect Grayslake's view of the biker community," he said in the release. "It was strictly a concern of public safety based on specific intelligence information that the public safety was at risk."
