Full Throttle Saloon fire destroys the 'World's Biggest Biker Bar'

[Jeff]

Dam does this suck, I never made it up there to see the Throttle and now it burned. I truly hope they rebuild it, what a shame, they just came off the busiest year yet, so for all that believe it was Jewish Lighting, well I doubt it, They where offered millions for the business years ago, after this year I am sure it's value went way up.

<cite class="el-editorial-source">(CNN)</cite>A tavern that billed itself as "The World's Biggest Biker Bar" was destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning.The Full Throttle Saloon hosted thousands of bikers who traveled to Sturgis, South Dakota, for an annual biker rally, reported CNN affiliate KOTA of Rapid City.
It held as many as 15,000 people on a rally night, owner Michael Ballard said on the bar's website. One employee said on a really busy night as many as 20,000 people would come in.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/08/us/stu...ire/index.html

[jimnyc]

Crap, 20,000 in one night? That's the same as going to see a hockey game at MSG!! Probably every biker that's ever been to Sturgis has had a beer at that place. I never went there and I still hope they rebuild!

[DLT]

Dam does this suck, I never made it up there to see the Throttle and now it burned. I truly hope they rebuild it, what a shame, they just came off the busiest year yet, so for all that believe it was Jewish Lighting, well I doubt it, They where offered millions for the business years ago, after this year I am sure it's value went way up.





http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/08/us/stu...ire/index.html

Yeah....don't be fooled. That fire was set. Either by a disgruntled employee.....or Michael himself probably had it set for the insurance. The wifey was preggo and probably pressured him to sell the biz, since she didn't want him around all that meow while she was at home taking care of junior.

And there's not that much to rebuild, anyway.

[Bilgerat]

The wifey was preggo

Was would be the operative word here

Emillie Grace Ballard was born on the 30th of March

[Jeff]

Yeah....don't be fooled. That fire was set. Either by a disgruntled employee.....or Michael himself probably had it set for the insurance. The wifey was preggo and probably pressured him to sell the biz, since she didn't want him around all that meow while she was at home taking care of junior.

And there's not that much to rebuild, anyway.

Michael could of sold the place at anytime, hell a few years ago he was offered a healthy price for it. They say the Throttle stayed open as a local watering hole 50 weeks a year, but the two weeks of Sturgis bike week that place made him so much money it was unreal. Hell I thought it would be cool to stay at one of the cabins he there, man I could of took a cruise anywhere I wanted to go for what the rent for 10 nights would of been, hell basically to sleep in a closet.

And then you have to remember he has his Moonshine business that is also making major money during bike week. As for Angie ( his ol lady ) she loves the Throttle, hell it made her famous ( the most photographed ass ) Add all this with the fact that him and Jesse Dupree are both millionaire Bikers and hero's to millions, I just don't see him doing it, a disgruntled employee maybe. It sure did seem strange that it burned everything including the station across the street, but a boy told me yesterday that Michael had over 500 gallons of shine up there, if that sheot caught fire, well that explains the size of it.

[DLT]

Michael could of sold the place at anytime, hell a few years ago he was offered a healthy price for it. They say the Throttle stayed open as a local watering hole 50 weeks a year, but the two weeks of Sturgis bike week that place made him so much money it was unreal. Hell I thought it would be cool to stay at one of the cabins he there, man I could of took a cruise anywhere I wanted to go for what the rent for 10 nights would of been, hell basically to sleep in a closet.

And then you have to remember he has his Moonshine business that is also making major money during bike week. As for Angie ( his ol lady ) she loves the Throttle, hell it made her famous ( the most photographed ass ) Add all this with the fact that him and Jesse Dupree are both millionaire Bikers and hero's to millions, I just don't see him doing it, a disgruntled employee maybe. It sure did seem strange that it burned everything including the station across the street, but a boy told me yesterday that Michael had over 500 gallons of shine up there, if that sheot caught fire, well that explains the size of it.

Bingo. And.....how conveeenient. Again, after observing 'his ole lady'...she may have loved the place while she was free as a bird, but once she became a mommy, you can bet she started working on him to get rid of the biz. She knew all those scantily clad women (she was one of em) would pose a threat eventually. Just sayin....

[Jeff]

Bingo. And.....how conveeenient. Again, after observing 'his ole lady'...she may have loved the place while she was free as a bird, but once she became a mommy, you can bet she started working on him to get rid of the biz. She knew all those scantily clad women (she was one of em) would pose a threat eventually. Just sayin....

Could be, my personally opinion is the lightning they are reporting, I have never been out there but they say it is bad. I just think ( especially after a jam up year this year ) he could of sold it, and made a killing, why take a chance at insurance catching it and losing everything.

But at the Club house last night they were saying that it will be a while before he rebuilds, says with the shine company he just doesn't have the time, so who knows.

[gabosaurus]

The fire has been ruled as accidental.

http://rapidcityjournal.com/sturgisr...f23e9ff33.html