Crystal Lake to Serve as Destination for Prairie State Cycling Series

Crystal Lake will be the destination for one leg of the Prairie State Cycling Series in July.

City Council members on Tuesday night voted in favor of contibuting $9,000 from the city's general fund towards the race, which would traverse through Crystal Lake's historic downtown area.

The money will go directly to the McHenry County Convention and Visitor's Bureau, which is expected to match the contribution using a state grant.

Council member Ellen Brady Mueller, who said she fully supported the event but could not justify taking money from the city's fund, was the sole council member to vote against the measure.

Mueller said she preferred to use money from the city's lodging tax reserves fund.

While the council discussed taking money from the hotel/ motel tax fund to invest towards the race, leaders had recently completed the application process and already distributed money to area organizations for 2013.

"I think you're going down a slippery slope to take money out of the hotel/ motel tax fund," Council member Jeffrey Thorsen said. "We would be bypassing the whole (application and hearing) process everyone has to go through (to receive those funds)."

Mayor Aaron Shepley said the city's donation to the cycling series could be likened to an economic development tool, an incentive intended to bolster revenues for local businesses.

"The idea is to make the whole thing into a festival," said Shepley.

Tom Schuler, representing Prairie State Cycling Series, said hospitality businesses- such as restaurants and hotels - benefit from cycling races.

"Many businesses in our other races do their best business day of the year on race day," Schuler told the council.

In addition to approving the city's donation, the councilmen voted in favor of closing parts of Williams Street, Crystal Lake Avenue, Grant Street, Brink Street, Minnie Street, and Woodstock Street on race day. Schuler said organizers will provide notices to area residents to alert them to the temporary road closures.

The Prairie State Cycling Series runs from July 12 -21. It will start in Kenosha, Wisc., and destination venues include Union Park in Chicago; Sharon, Wis.; Beverly; Elmhurst; Lake Bluff; and St. Charles.

Crystal Lake will be the destination of Day 3 of the series, which is July 14, Shuler said.