Huge fireworks show set for Strip

Adrienne Packer

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000 | 11:09 a.m.

Las Vegas promoters are expected to hatch grand plans, but after being accused of laying an egg in planning last New Year's Eve, they insist they have outdone even themselves this year.

Fireworks launched from 12 hotel-casinos will canopy the Las Vegas Strip at midnight, treating tourists and residents in surrounding communities to the largest fireworks display in the famed corridor's history.

Ten seconds before midnight, the first fireworks will explode from the top of Mandalay Bay. As each second ticks away, neighboring properties to the north will progressively fire off their cache of rockets.

The entire show -- which will also include a Fremont Street display -- is expected to last 10 minutes and expend 13,000 fireworks shells, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

"We're very, very excited about this," said Rossi Ralenkotter, vice president of marketing for the LVCVA. "We believe it's going to be the largest fireworks show in the history of the city."

Ralenkotter said the LVCVA will begin promoting the New Year's Eve extravaganza Friday with advertisements in USA Today.

While Ralenkotter hopes the show will draw hundreds of thousands of tourists, he said the event will not be marketed in a manner that suggests Las Vegas is apologizing for not offering fireworks during last year's Millennium party.

Ralenkotter, somewhat defensive about the lack of entertainment last year, said the LVCVA stands by its conscious decision not to have fireworks.

The New Year's Eve show will be funded using a portion of room taxes charged to visitors who stay at hotel-casinos along the resort corridor. It's being organized by Las Vegas Events and executed by Zambelli Fireworks Internationale.

Pennsylvanian George Zambelli said the upcoming event is the largest his company has taken on since he took over his father's business 55 years ago.

"The artistry and approach to get this done will be a challenge," said Zambelli, who will use about 70 crew members to orchestrate the show and accompanying music. "When you put this all together it will be a world-class review."