Lexington’s July 4th firework show to move to new site after last year’s flop

After last year’s disappointing July 4th fireworks display from the Lexington Financial Center roof, Mayor Linda Gorton announced Wednesday this year’s show will be shot off from a new, but familiar, spot.

The 2019 July 4th display will be launched on land controlled by R.J. Corman off of Main Street and Oliver Lewis Way. The site was previously used for more than a decade until 2016.

There were a flood of unhappy social media posts following last year’s show, which people called “embarrassing” and “the worst example of fireworks I have ever seen.” Then-Mayor Jim Gray called for a thorough review “to get to the bottom of what went wrong.”

Different firework shells were used in last year’s show because they were shot from a rooftop. The results weren’t as impressive as in previous years, according to an internal city report. The fireworks cost $20,000, which was an increase from past years.

The report recommended the display be moved away from the financial center and for city officials to have final approval of the show.

At the R.J. Corman site, Central Bank and Ball Homes will sponsor the show, Gorton said. Their sponsorship will guarantee the fireworks will be first class, she added.

“Today is just May 1 but we are ready for the Fourth of July,” Gorton said.

The show was moved from the R.J. Corman site after 2015 due to a dispute with the landowner.

At a Wednesday press conference at the Corman site on Oliver Lewis Way, Gorton said Ed Quinn, president and chief executive officer of R.J. Corman Railroad Group, called her shortly after she took office in January. Quinn told Gorton the railroad company was interested in being the launch site for the fireworks again.

Gorton said the city had to wait several months before announcing Corman had agreed to allow the city to use its property because it had to make sure the site would work.

“This is an ideal location to launch a large fireworks display for a downtown audience,” Gorton said. “Over the past several years, the city’s fireworks display has been launched from various locations with mixed success. We’re really glad to be back at Corman.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2019 at 10:20 AM.