The Arizona businessman who wants to build a biker bar near sacred Bear Butte in South Dakota says he is surprised by opposition to the proposal.

Jay Allen announced plans for the "Sacred Ground" bar and an 80-foot-tall Indian statue on 600-acres he owns. The idea immediately mobilized protests by a number of groups, including Defenders of the Black Hills.

"I thought I was doing a wonderful thing for everybody," Allen told The Rapid City Journal.

Allen has since decided to change the name of the bar and won't build the statue. But the Bear Butte International Alliance and other groups are still fighting the proposal. They are holding a prayer, luncheon and march in preparation of a hearing today on a liquor license for the bar.

Get the Story:
Backlash surprises bar owner (The Rapid City Journal 4/4)

Relevant Links:
Defenders of the Black Hills - http://www.defendblackhills.org/defenders

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