Letter: Strip resorts’ fireworks show was lackluster

Monday, Jan. 6, 2003 | 9:19 a.m.

I watched the New Year's fireworks display for the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas. Again, for the second year running, they apparently used the same person for their design and execution that was completely devoid of any artistic imagination.

The display went off as scheduled at 12 a.m. and lasted maybe 10 minutes. Every hotel that participated along the Strip had exactly the same boring display, all set to go off at exactly the same time.

If the lackluster display is a problem of money, then maybe it might behoove the planners and designers to just limit next year's display to one hotel. That way they could save all the extra money, and in return maybe put on a display that would be worth leaving the casino to see.

The Blue Man Group, standing on the roofs holding extra large sparklers, could have generated more of an excitement factor. The Bellagio water displays, with colored lights playing to the tune of an extra slow Strauss waltz, could show more imagination and fire than the past two years of displays along our Strip.

I am sure that many smaller, less equipped cities and locales across this nation could have put on better displays for the national audience, with a lot less of a budget to work with.

On the other hand, maybe this lackluster display is part of a solution to a bigger problem. Maybe the casinos really don't want to have their paying customers and high-rollers going outside to enjoy fireworks; that would take even more money out of their casinos, than what they have already budgeted, for the fireworks.

MICKEY COX