LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The town of Winchester will recommend that the Clark County Commission not permit a traveling magician to house performing tigers just off the Las Vegas Strip.
The town's advisory board met Tuesday night and heard public comment on the proposal from illusionist Jay Owenhouse. Almost all the commenters asked the board to recommend canning the proposal.
#BREAKING: Winchester planning commission votes to recommend a no vote from the Clark County Commission on plans to build a “Tiger Magic Show” facility near The Las Vegas Strip.
This doesn’t kill the project, but makes it harder to get commissioners to say yes. pic.twitter.com/nqVR5ixoQU— @SeanKTNV (@seanktnv) December 1, 2021
Board members concurred, choosing to recommend a "no" vote from the county commission. The decision doesn't kill the project, but lets the commissioners know area residents are against the idea.
Opposition includes: It’s about money, not about the tigers.
Wild animals shouldn’t be caged.
Noise and pollution in the area aren’t great for tigers.
Nevada is moving away from apex predator shows.
There’s a lot more.— @SeanKTNV (@seanktnv) December 1, 2021
This is the second time Owenhouse has sought permission for the project. He wants to set up his magic show, including a tiger enclosure, in a parking lot off of Sahara Avenue and Paradise Road, near Sahara Las Vegas.
The Clark County Commission previously granted Owenhouse permission to set up a temporary show near the Mandalay Bay convention center in July 2020, but the economic uncertainty of the pandemic caused him to halt the project, he said.
The county commission is scheduled to discuss Owenhouse's request at a meeting on Dec. 22.
13 Action News chief investigator Darcy Spears spoke to Owenhouse about his intentions for the project, including security and care of the tigers. Read the full report here.
