Fairgrounds area to be used for product testing, customer demos

Pahrump's only fireworks launching site now can be used for product testing and customer demonstrations after opening to the general public last July.

Officials on Wednesday approved two amendments to the agreement between the town of Pahrump and the Nye County Fireworks Association that will allow additional days for product testing and customer demonstrations.

Casey Steinhart, regional general manager for Pahrump's Area 51 Fireworks and member of the Nye County Fireworks Association, said he normally does demonstration shoots on private property but now can use a designated shoot site.

"What happens is when we get stuff shipped in, it's not always what we see in China, so for the people that are direct importers, now all of the companies here are direct importers, but for direct importers, they want to go make sure that what they saw, same plate, same color, same burst, whatever else it is, that we receive," Steinhart said. "And then also, when you have some big customers that come in who have new products that you want to show them, you could go down there and not shoot for four hours but go down and shoot a half dozen or a dozen items to show one of your customers, 'Here's my new products (that) I want to show you.'"

During the meeting, officials suggested several changes to both attachments to the document that outline guidelines of operation for the additional days of use for the Pahrump Fireworks Safety Site.

Commissioner Frank Carbone said hours of operation for product testing shouldn't go past 9 p.m. instead of the original 10 p.m.

"When we are moving to the winter time frame, the time change is quite significant as far as darkness is concerned. I don't know why we have to go to 10 o'clock during those periods of time. I would like to have this thing split for summer and spring and fall and winter. It has to be during the night, but it doesn't have to be 10 o'clock. In wintertime, at 5 o'clock, it's pitch black out," he said.

Additionally, officials approved several requests that had been made during the meeting by Steinhart.

Included in those changes were three days for product testing during the calendar year allowed for each licensed permit holder.

For customer demonstrations, the event must be coordinated with officials no less than 10 working days prior to customer demonstration launch date, according to the documents. The park could be reserved by phone or email.

The amendments to the agreement are effective immediately.

The site will be open to the public Veterans Day, Nov. 11, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Contact reporter Daria Sokolova at dsokolova@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @dariasokolova77.