New Year’s Eve Notes for Las Vegas
Tomorrow is one of the biggest celebrations in Las Vegas and to properly enjoy the night, you need to know what’s happening.
I already covered the nightclub NYE offerings, as well as live music and restaurant events for the night. But I also have more events, as well as basic news and information that will help you get the most out of celebrating New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas.
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Additional Events:
Cafe Ba Ba Reeba (Fashion Show Mall)
Rock ‘N Roll Wine hosts a special end of the year event which includes a four course dinner, two live bands, a DJ and party favorites, starting at $90 per person. The featured wine, The Grotto Shiraz, will be additional. View the menu online or call 702.258.1211 to make your reservation.
Rumjungle (Mandalay Bay)
Playboy Playmate of the Year Sara Underwood hosts the 2008 countdown with a $10,000 giveaway at midnight via the balloon drop. Tickets start at $100 a person.
Social House (TI)
This restaurant is offering a special five course Asian-themed menu with a champagne toast at midnight. Price is $125 per person, not including beverages, tax or gratuity. You can view the New Year’s Eve menu online at socialhouselv.com.
Latebreaking News:
The “Red Bull Experiment“, the New Year’s Eve stunt spectacular at the Rio, has become one world record attempt short as California daredevil Rhys Millen, 35, was hurt while practicing his stunt. Millen was training to be the first person to complete a back flip off an off-road racing truck when his truck landed upside down on concrete during. He was hospitalized with back and neck injuries and will miss the ESPN live broadcast event Monday night. Sources at the Rio say the rest of the event will go on as planned in the parking lot of the resort on December 31st.
Tickets for the Venetian’s big party hosted by Robin Leach and featuring entertainment by Earth, Wind & Fire, are currently being sold for 40% off at Goldstar Events, bringing the $89 to $129 tickets down to $53.40 to $77.40. Membership to Goldstar is free, but there is an additional $8 per ticket service fee.
There have been a few bumps on the road to opening for Jay-Z’s new 40/40 Club at the Palazzo this weekend. Perez Hilton reported that the club did not pass their last inspection prior to the weekend, which means they did not receive approval to open to the public. Club reps, however, say they will have all licenses in order by Sunday so they can hold their New Year’s Eve bash, as planned. Let’s hope so, or they will surely be getting off on the wrong foot in Sin City.
General Information:
The midnight fireworks display, known as America’s Party, will feature more than 30,000 computer-controlled explosions launching from the rooftops of MGM Grand, Planet Hollywood, The Flamingo, the Venetian, Treasure Island, Circus Circus and the Stratosphere. The entire sky show is expected to run eight minutes and twenty seconds exactly, and will be set to swing and big band music from throughout the years. Utilizing the theme “The Best is Yet to Come,” music will include such favorites as Benny Goodman’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” and Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman.”
Over 300,000 people are expected to ring in 2008 on the Strip, so there will be over 2,300 police officers, along with FBI agents and National Guard members, helping to keep the peace.
No glass bottles or cans are permitted on the Strip and no unaccompanied minors will be allowed to walk around outside the resorts between 6pm and 6am.
The Strip will be closed to all vehicular traffic between Russell Road (south of Mandalay) to Sahara Blvd (at the Stratosphere). I-15 east bound and west bound exit ramps at Tropicana Ave, Flamingo Rd, Spring Mountain Rd and the Harmon overpass will also be closed. Frank Sinatra Drive, which runs parallel to the west side of the Strip, will be open BUT due to construction, it is down to one lane in some areas and will be heavily congested due to traffic from employees of the resorts and other businesses along the Strip. It is not recommended you use this road to bypass the closures.
This means even though the parties and fireworks won’t get underway until 10pm or later, you may need to be on the Strip before 4pm, or you may be still be stuck in traffic when midnight rolls around.
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We here at Las Vegas Logue wish you a safe and happy New Year’s Eve, regardless of where you choose to celebrate. Remember to not drink and drive and thank you so much for reading the Las Vegas Logue this year.