As reported Sunday by The Gateway Pundit, Salt Lake City, Utah is one of multiple US cities that replaced traditional July 4th fireworks shows with drone light displays this year.
But Brandon Fugal isn’t impressed.
The Chairman at Colliers International and Owner of Skinwalker Ranch says although he’s a “huge fan” of drone displays, America needs to be strengthening national traditions, not diluting them.
“Replacing our traditional fireworks with drone displays is an unfortunate departure from the time honored tradition started on July 4th, 1777,” Fugal explained in a Monday afternoon phone call, “To sanitize our celebrations is a sacrilege.”
In a June 27 press release, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the plan to move forward with a drone show and replace traditional fireworks for Independence Day and Pioneer Day celebrations was part of “a proactive effort to combat the city’s high fire danger and to alleviate local air quality concerns.”
While noting his good relationship with Mayor Mendenhall, Fugal, nevertheless, disagrees with her risk assessment.
“In a year with record snowfall and moisture, the fire hazard potential is not as acute,” Fugal explained, “And as much as we all need to be careful relative to the fire hazard and safety precautions implemented, we shouldn’t be changing our traditions.”
Fugal continued:
“For example, the largest fireworks display in the country took place over the weekend in Provo, Utah at the Stadium of Fire — complete with an F-35 fighter jet flyover and a celebration honoring our veterans,” he said, “The fireworks were the perfect finale to an inspiring event.”
As much as he loves fireworks, Fugal gets just as excited about drones.
“I’m a huge supporter of drone displays and find the use of technology to entertain and augment our community’s celebrations, a positive,” he explains, “I have strategic partnerships with drone companies nationwide, like Sky Elements, who put together some of the most dazzling displays.”
Even still, Fugal says drones are no substitute for a time honored tradition.
To replace explosive celebration of America’s 1776 Declaration of Independence is a tragedy, Fugal says.
“So I guess the question is, are you gonna be shooting off fireworks?” I asked the prominent Intermountain West real estate developer and producer of two hit series on History Channel.
His response was straight to the point.
“Hell, yes,” Fugal said with truly American flair.
“We’ll be doing our own private fireworks show and enjoying the city celebrations as well,” he continued while once again mentioning the Stadium of Fire and America’s Freedom Festival.
“We should be emulating celebrations like that as opposed to undermining them,” Fugal said.
