Instead, Atlas Professional Fireworks Displays unloaded the pyrotechnics from mortars set up on a barge in Boston Harbor near the Bank of America Pavilion and carted them back to its headquarters in Jaffrey, N.H.

The Republican was prepared to celebrate his election as the 45th president with an eight-minute fireworks display within view of his party at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

Things didn't go as planned for Mitt Romney on Election Day in more ways than one.

"It was not an intense, grand finale-type of display for eight minutes, but it certainly was a fast-paced show to cap off the evening, if it were necessary," company president Stephen Pelkey told the Globe on Thursday.


The show was part of an election conclusion by Romney, his staff, and his supporters that underscored their hope for victory.

A permit filed with the City of Boston said the Romney campaign's fireworks show could have occurred between 7 p.m. Tuesday, just after the first polls closed, and 12:30 a.m. Wednesday -- which ended up being just before Romney conceded the race.

Atlas does over 75 percent of the fireworks shows in New England, including illuminations around the Hatch Shell on the Fourth of July, and was the 2012 world champion at the Montreal International Fireworks Competition.

The Romney display, with a pricetag of about $25,000, had a patriotic theme, heavy on red, white, and blue colors, and was to feature crowd-pleasing large chrysanthemum bursts.

Half the cost is typically for the fireworks and half for the permitting, barge, and other costs.

Pelkey said his company is used to operating on a hair-trigger, with its fireworks poised to celebrate a touchdown at New England Patriots football games. With the possibility of a show being canceled or fireworks going unused, they are set up in a manner to safely remove any unused fireworks.


For example, Pelkey said strings are attached to the tops of some fireworks so they can be pulled rather than tilted out of mortar tubes.

They are then taken back to the shop, inspected, and returned to inventory for use some other time.

Glen Johnson can be reached at johnson@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @globeglen.