Who doesn’t like fireworks? Those colorful explosions in the sky can evoke a spirit of celebration and patriotism. But what brings joy to many, they bring dread to disabled vet Michael Davis and his cat, Angel.
“As soon as she hears that noise, she runs under the bed as far and deep as she can get," Davis said. "Angel had abuse in the first part of her life, so she has PTSD."
The frequency at which SeaWorld shoots off fireworks has changed over the years. Generally speaking, you see —and hear — them most often over the summer months.
“I would hear it from my constituents that were frustrated by the frequency of the fireworks," said San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava.
LaCava said he’s been thinking about the issue for some time now.
“How their pets react to this night after night of fireworks that suggested to me that maybe now is the time to bring the conversation up," he said.
LaCava said SeaWorld shoots off fireworks upwards of 150 nights a year. And he said he understands that from SeaWorld’s perspective, the fireworks aren’t just about entertainment.
“The fireworks provide something later in the evening that maybe folks will stick around, maybe they’ll buy a few of the merchandise, or eat a dinner there, so it becomes part of their business plan," he said.
For Davis, the concern over the fireworks extends beyond the noise.
“When you consider San Diego and how beautiful the area is, and beautiful Mission Bay is, if you think about all the years that SeaWorld’s been doing this, there’s probably a lot of gunk down there in the bay," said Davis.
That concern is shared by the council president.
“There’s been some allegations about some impacts to the natural environment in Mission Bay. We’re still trying to study that, and really trying to connect the dots between them because that’s an important part of what makes Mission Bay special," LaCava said.
We requested an interview with a SeaWorld representative so we could ask questions about noise and environmental concerns. Instead, they provided a statement that did not mention fireworks.
“The city has been a great partner of ours for over 60 years and we will continue to have conversations related to park offerings as we are constantly striving to update our entertainment and educational offerings.”
Neither Davis nor LaCava are calling for the elimination of fireworks.
LaCava said he’ll urge the park to take a look at using drones, perhaps in combination with less frequent fireworks. That will happen in upcoming conversations, which LaCava said haven’t started yet, but he went on to say that the city and SeaWorld will be talking.
“They’re looking at making some changes to their master plan. I don’t know the scope of that, but that would be the opportunity," the council president said. "Changes in lease agreements do come to the city council."
Bottom line — the future of fireworks shows at SeaWorld is very much up in the air.
