KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasLas Vegas Fireworks to 'Eclipse Times Square'
Once again, Las Vegas is expecting record crowds this New Year's Eve. And also this year the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority along with Las Vegas Events will try to out do last year's New Year's Eve. This year's fireworks display promises to be spectacular. Fireworks are set to go off from the roof of 10 different casinos.
Phil Grucci said, "Everything is wired meticulously to a particular address based on the script." Four days of work produced rows and rows of fireworks ready to marvel 300,000 people in Las Vegas for the celebration.
Phil Grucci, owner of Fireworks by Grucci, says, "It eclipses Times Square. It eclipses Australia and all the other iconic areas -- France. The show is the largest by far."
Grucci coordinated and now set up the largest 2006 New Year's Eve fireworks display in the world. A total of 40,000 devices are spread over ten casino rooftops. They will all go off during the choreographed performance -- a performance specifically designed to pay tribute to the past and end the Las Vegas Centennial celebration.
Grucci has been doing grand shows like this for as long as he can remember. "My grandfather's grandfather started the business back in 1850 in Italy."
His excitement for this year's Las Vegas show spills out when you talk to him. "You will hear the Chopsticks play on the piano and you will see the buildings all twinkling with the Chopsticks tone. So, the whole Strip will be Gold Willow Spiders during Dankeshen. Then it will move to Luck be a Lady. Then the whole Strip turns into gold flitter spiders!"
Grucci continues, "When the show starts it will all happen at the same time. When you get into the Chopsticks scene and you will see the buildings bouncing back and forth as it was a depression of a key on a piano."
Chief technician Jim Lipp shares the enthusiasm. He does this for the reaction. "You hear the applause, the people. You hear them going crazy. It's a great feeling."
The display will cost about half a million dollars paid entirely by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Las Vegas Events.
-------------------------------
If you are planning to stay close to home on New Year's Eve, be sure to tune into channel 8. Eyewitness News will bring you live coverage from our anchors and reporters who will be located all around the Strip and downtown.
Channel 8 coverage begins Saturday night at 10 p.m.
Also, www.klastv.com will be streaming live coverage of New Year's Eve and the fireworks display beginning at 11:45 p.m.
