By Mike Donahue
Moapa Valley Progress
Published July 7, 2010
Southern Nevada’s patriotic fervor was as hot as ever last weekend at the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza on I-15 as an estimated 5,000 plus people attended the annual Fourth of July celebration that included a fireworks show and live local bands.
A large brush fire was ignited by the fireworks Sunday night and emergency vehicles battled for about an hour before it was brought under control and extinguished. Approximately five acres in a wash between the Travel Plaza and I-15 were burned in the fire.
Although the crowd watching the fireworks display Saturday was smaller than normal, attendance Sunday exploded as recession-weary Americans flocked to the free Independence Day celebration that included performances by three local bands including “Entitree,” “Centerfold,” and “OLI, Outside Looking In.”
Every inch of the parking lots surrounding the store, 50-acre fireworks launch site and Veterans Memorial Park was jammed packed with cars, pickups, motorcycles and semis. One security guard said he thought the crowd was larger even than the one that attended the Mint 400 off-road race earlier this year.
Many attendees, apparently unable to wait for the massive Class A fireworks display to start after dark, began lighting their own incendiaries any place there was open ground creating a long-lasting amateur show that produced almost as many aaahhhs as the big show.
Terry Gates, floor manager at the Plaza, said approximately 200 people an hour were being cycled through the store, many of whom loaded up on Class C fireworks. Shoppers who made the annual drive to purchase fireworks were treated to some specials that included some two-for-one deals on selected merchandise.
Much of the merchandise sold is available only in the Tribal store, which also boasts a 50-acre launch pad so shoppers can shoot off their purchases. That launch pad was virtually packed with customers lighting off fireworks Sunday night.
“We enlarged the launch pad to make it safer for our visitors,” a store spokesman said. “Shoppers can launch their purchases under an umbrella of security that includes a water truck standing by in case it’s needed.”
Quincy Taylor, a professional body builder from Las Vegas, said he heard about the availability of the fireworks the Tribal store and brought out his entire family that included son Jhamahl and daughters Crystell and Malika. “I don’t see why Clark County makes a big deal about the fireworks as long as you’re careful,” Taylor said.
Shoppers came from all over Southern Nevada to buy fireworks. Additionally, there were store customers from other states including California, Utah, Idaho and Oregon. One couple from New Jersey stopped in to make purchases on their way to a Las Vegas holiday celebration.
Several customers packed shopping carts to overflowing with an array of fireworks. Jennifer Keysor and her son Daniel, 3, of California stopped at the store on their way to Utah to make purchases. “This place is famous with my brothers,” she said. “They’ve bought stuff here for years. Daniel and I bought a few things, but only the much milder fireworks; the safe and sane’ stuff.”
