Our view: Work out the issues that cost Beaufort County the Ironman and invite them back

It is disappointing that the Hilton Head Ironman 70.3 triathlon will not be coming to Beaufort County in 2016.

But don't blame Sheriff P.J. Tanner. All fingers are pointing at the sheriff for the demise of an event that promised to bring thousands of visitors and pump millions into the economy during the "shoulder season" of autumn.

As the lead law enforcement officer for the county and the Town of Hilton Head Island, Tanner had a responsibility to point out U.S. 278 -- the only route to and from Hilton Head -- is not a good place to run a race. He cited the experience of clogged traffic after wrecks as he focused on worst-case scenarios.

But we believe these obvious hardships can be overcome, and open planning for a future triathlon in several years should be ongoing.

After all, conventional wisdom would say that Sea Pines could never host a PGA Tour event, but it has done so successfully for almost half a century. And who would think more than 2 million visitors a year could be accommodated over these same roads to get to the beach? The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival and Concours d'Elegance goes off smoothly in early November.

And what sheriff in his right mind would put an OK on a top-10 football game pulling some 100,000 people into the tiny town of Clemson, S.C.?

When special events are held, careful plans are made and everyone makes the best of it. It happens all the time, and Beaufort County can make this happen.

But it's going to take a better conversation with the public than saying, "Trust us. These guys put on hundreds of triathlons, and they know what they're doing."

We're sure they do, but U.S. 278 presents special problems. For much of it, there is no alternative route.

The greatest lesson to take from this episode is that it will take a lot more open discussion with the public if there is another attempt to host the event.

We hope there is one, because the good can outweigh the bad.

Hilton Head Island is a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community. Only 21 cities in America have earned that designation from the League of American Bicyclists. Hilton Head is the only one in the Southeast.

Hilton Head, and all of Beaufort County, needs to be associated with the active, outdoors lifestyle exemplified by the triathlon.

Hilton Head needs to add layers to its more widely appreciated attributes -- the beach, golf and tennis -- by stressing cycling, running and the arts.

But none of that will do anyone any good if it turns U.S. 278 into a parking lot.

We think that can be avoided, but a better case needs to be made to the public.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Our view: Work out the issues that cost Beaufort County the Ironman and invite them back."