Mesquite Opens New Off-Highway Vehicle Staging Area

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

A piece of land located at 680 Riverside Drive, just across the Bunkerville Bridge was packed with Mesquite officials, local residents and Kokopelli ATV Club members on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 27 for the grand opening of a newly designated staging area for Off Highway Vehicles.

The project was a combination of hard work between the City of Mesquite, the Kokopelli ATV Club, the Virgin River Coalition Recreation Committee, and Mesquite Athletics and Leisure Services Department Director Nicholas Montoya.

The new OHV staging area includes security cameras, lighting. Fenced areas for trailers and trucks will be under 24-hour surveillance. There is a restroom and a wash station to clean OHV rides off after a day on the trail.

Mesquite Mayor Al Litman spoke to the crowd just before cutting the ceremonial ribbon. “This will do wonders for the city of Mesquite,” Litman said. “It will attract more tourists to enjoy our amazing trails with a safe and secure place to leave their autos and trailers.”

Litman reported that there are two additional staging areas coming online in the near future. The news was received with applause.

Montoya also spoke a few words at the ceremony expressing appreciation those who had been involved. “Much of the work here was done in-house by the city,” Montoya said. “I want to especially thank Travis Anderson the Public Works Director. His people have helped out in many different areas of this project.”

Montoya said that the goal of the project was to bring OHV tourism to Mesquite and help stimulate the local economy. He reported that 30 million Americans are riding OHVs per year and 8 percent of all visitors to Mesquite are riding OHVs.

Nikhil Narkhede, Program Manager for the Nevada Commission on Off-Highway Vehicles, came to Mesquite to attend the event. The Commission provides grant awards to improve OHV recreation around the state. “The $21 per year registration fee that you pay to register your OHVs is what funds these projects,” he said.

Narkhede thanked the Mesquite Police Department for getting grant funding, doing VIN inspections and being responsible for overseeing safe OHV use.

Narkhede thanked Montoya for the speed at which he was able to receive grant funding for this project and complete it in one year. He expressed amazement at this, as most projects in other cities take years to come to fruition.

Finally, Narkhede spoke of $750,000 in grant funds that were coming available by July of 2022.
To that, Montoya spoke up and said “We are going for it!”

Other speakers were councilman George Gault, who noted that the area would help discourage vandalism with all its security cameras and lighting.

Dominic Olivette, President of the Kolopelli ATV Club, gave more accolades to Montoya for his work and time spent to complete the project.
“This is a wonderful addition to complement the city, and our economy,” said Councilman Wes Boger. “We are not just golf or gaming we have the trails and beautiful weather to enjoy.”

“I am amazed at the turnout,!” Montoya said. “The support from the community is amazing to see. I am so excited. We are going to plan jamborees and we are going to bring more people to town.”