Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Why one resident was so elated when Bullhead City ended annual regatta

Regatta Refuse

Courtesy of Samantha L. Stevens

A sea of garbage was left behind some of the 30,000 participants of the Bullhead City River Regatta, dubbed the “world’s largest river tube-float.”

Click to enlarge photo

A sea of garbage was left behind by participants of the Bullhead City River Regatta.

Ally DeVilla used to keep to herself when the River Regatta came to town, but after seeing the mess along the Colorado River after this year’s event, she knew she couldn’t stay quiet anymore.

Attendees left heaps of garbage including everything from baby diapers to beer bottles and floating devices, despite there being about 65 dumpsters, about 260 residential trash cans and two garbage trucks at two beaches (Davis Camp and Rotary Park), Bullhead City special events supervisor Ed Catalfamo said.

Participants “who would take one” were also given onion bags to dispose their trash, and snorkelers and jet skiers were hired to clean up the water, he said.

“I couldn’t get photos of the underwater trash, but I wish I could have,” the 26-year-old DeVilla said.

DeVilla, of Fort Mohave, Ariz., created a petition to end the event when she saw several residents complaining but not doing anything about the issue.

“I didn’t think it would be successful,” she said. “I was preparing to protest about it all year long until the next [regatta].”

But city council members voted 4-3 Tuesday to end the regatta, dubbed the “world’s largest river-tube float” event.

The petition received over 3,700 signatures and even gained the attention of Mayor Tom Brady and Vice Mayor Steve D’Amico, who voted to end the regatta.

Once DeVilla’s petition gained support, she reached out to her native Chemehuevi tribe in Lake Havasu City; she added that Fort Mojave Indian Tribe counsel chairman Tim Williams was instrumental in spreading the word to local tribes. DeVilla said more than 50 members of the tribe, who are known as the “Protector of the Water,” showed up to the council meeting.

DeVilla said some of the trash ended up on a reservation about 75 miles away. She said she has always been passionate about the environment and was tired of people arguing that the economic impact justified keeping the regatta going.

According to Bullhead City Manager Toby Cotter, the event generated about $1.3 million in revenue, but the city spent about $1.1 million to host it.

“I’m tired of money winning over the environment,” she said. “The people were completely ignoring the environmental impact. They just wanted to keep doing it … It just seems like they’re being greedy.”

Cotter introduced the agenda item, knowing that many in the overflowing crowd were there to discuss the regatta.

After the issue was debated for over two hours, DeVilla said she was nervous about the council’s decision but eventually overjoyed when the vote was in her favor.

“It was amazing,” she said. I gave my friend a hug. ... I couldn’t believe we actually won.”

DeVilla said the Fort Mojave tribe members performed their bird songs and danced to celebrate their victory outside of the meeting room.

But not everyone celebrated. Bullhead City recreation manager Dave Heath, who worked on the event since its inception, was disappointed to see the event go.

“We definitely would have fixed the trash problem. That was the No. 1 thing we were going to fix for next year,” he said. “I think if they would have approved, we would have made some big changes and addressed the trash issue, and it would have been a wonderful event.”

Heath said that although the regatta won’t continue, the Bullhead City recreation department hopes to create another event that will be just as successful.

“Events come and go,” he said. “You always have to be prepared for what’s next. We have some grand ideas, so hopefully those will attract as much folks as the regatta did.”

Editor’s note: This story has been revised to correct an inaccuracy in the amount the city spent to host the event.

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