Enterprise pigeon loft torn down

Jace Radke

Monday, Jan. 27, 2003 | 11:03 a.m.

From his Enterprise Township back yard, Roy Morris watched approvingly this weekend as the home of more than 1,000 unwanted neighbors tumbled down next door.

Morris, 50, is among a group of residents in the southern part of the Las Vegas Valley who have had to deal with an annual pigeon race that brings hundreds of birds and spectators to an otherwise quiet neighborhood of ranch estates.

"Seeing the huge pigeon loft coming down is a good sign, but I guess we're a little distrustful, because they've been out here for three years," said Morris, who lives off Fairfield Avenue near Warm Springs Road and Interstate 15. "We didn't really want to cause problems, but at the same time we want to have good neighbors."

The pigeon loft was 128 feet long and 32 feet wide and was located in a dirt lot at 7575 Fairfield Ave. The loft will soon be reconstructed in a more rural area of town as a result of Morris and other residents' complaints to Clark County code enforcement officials. The pigeons were a nuisance and weren't compatible with ranch estate zoning, neighbors said. The neighborhood was so upset about the pigeons that it had a lawyer represent them in the dispute.

Code enforcement officers cited Suvit Asawapornsnit for not having the correct permits for the early January homing pigeon race, but he ran it anyway. He said there was too much involved to stop it once it was already under way.

First place was $250,000 and more than $500,000 in prize money is given out to the owners of the top finishers.

Asawapornsnit was in Clark County Justice Court Friday and agreed to pay a $500 fine. He also said the race will take place next year.

"We're going to move to a new site off Blue Diamond Road about 12 miles outside of town," Asawapornsnit said. "I'll pay the fine and go through the county next time."

Asawapornsnit has been running the "Vegas Race" for the last three years, bringing pigeon racers from around the world to Las Vegas for the event. This year's race featured more than 600 birds that flew 300 miles before landing at the loft.

Residents complained that during the race their streets turned into parking lots as more than 500 spectators and pigeon owners arrive for the race.

But the race days were just part of the problem for neighbors. The pigeons are housed in the loft for six months prior to a race so that they can learn to fly back to it. They were causing bug problems, and leaving fecal matter in yards, neighbors told the county.

"I don't care if he has the race somewhere else as long he goes through the process to make sure its legal," said Dean Massey, a county code enforcement specialist.

Nevada Gaming Control officials are also investigating Asawapornsnit because residents alleged there was illegal gambling going on at the race. In Europe and other places where it is popular, pigeon racing and gambling go hand in hand.

Keith Copher, chief of enforcement for the state gaming control, said Friday only that the investigation is ongoing.

Morris said he is just looking forward to not having dead pigeons in his yard every year.

"Once we're sure it's gone," he said, "we'll all power-wash our roofs for the last time."