Tiger magic show disappears from Clark County agenda

By: Dana Gentry - January 18, 2022 10:46 am

Illustration from Owenhouse presentation

The illusionist behind a proposed magic show featuring live tigers has pulled his application for a zone variance from the Clark County agenda for Wednesday, according to a tweet from County Commissioner Tick Segerblom.

“Magician Jay Owenhouse is withdrawing his request – there will not be a tiger show in District E,” Segerblom wrote.

“I’m keeping them in Montana,” Segerblom told the Current via text.

Owenhouse says he’s withdrawing his application for the exotic animal variance but intends to pursue plans for a magic show residency at the Sahara and Paradise sight.

He says he doesn’t yet know his plans for the tigers.

“Our tigers have a wonderful home in Montana,” Owenhouse said in an interview. “I think at the same time it’s like we want to be with them because we know how much that’s part of their mental health.”

Hundreds of callers voiced their opinions last week during a virtual town hall conducted by Segerblom. The majority of those who phoned in opposed the plan.

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Dana Gentry

Dana Gentry is a native Las Vegan and award-winning investigative journalist. She is a graduate of Bishop Gorman High School and holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Gentry began her career in broadcasting as an intern at Channel 8, KLAS-TV. She later became a reporter at Channel 8, working with Las Vegas TV news legends Bob Stoldal and the late Ned Day. Gentry left her reporting job in 1985 to focus on motherhood. She returned to TV news in 2001 to launch "Face to Face with Jon Ralston" and the weekly business programs In Business Las Vegas and Vegas Inc, which she co-anchored with Jeff Gillan. Dana has four adult children, two grandsons, three dogs, three cats and a cockatoo named Casper.