High winds a concern for fireworks planners

Dan Kulin

Thursday, Dec. 30, 2004 | 11:18 a.m.

Rain may dampen the New Year's Eve crowd, but only wind will keep the fireworks from lighting the Las Vegas sky for the first minutes of 2005.

"We can fire in a deluge if we have to ... But anything over 10 mph and the fire department closes us down," said Fireworks by Grucci President Phil Grucci, the producer of the Las Vegas New Year's Eve fireworks show.

"It's a safety concern, with the fallout," Grucci said Wednesday, explaining that the wind can push the remnants of exploded fireworks into what are expected to be the crowded streets below.

As many as 300,000 people are expected on the Strip on New Year's Eve for the celebration dubbed America's Party.

"They say there's a 30 percent chance of rain the night of the program and a chance of high winds," he said, confessing that he probably has been paying too much attention to the weather reports.

"But we don't get pessimistic about the weather. We're always worried ... but it's controlled concern."

Pat Christenson, president of the event's co-producer, Las Vegas Events, said he has heard there might be rain, but wind should not be an issue for the party that's been almost a year in the making.

"This is the fifth year we've done it," Christenson said. "Our hope as it is every year is for a safe and fun weekend."

If the weather complies -- Grucci said the final decision will be made just before the fireworks are launched -- Grucci's company will launch a total of 40,000 fireworks from 10 roofs during the first eight minutes of 2005.

By the end of today, the $500,000 in fireworks will be in place atop Excalibur, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Bally's, Flamingo, Venetian, Treasure Island, Stardust, Circus-Circus and the Stratosphere.

Friday will be a day of testing the computer systems that run the show, and a lot of "hurry up and wait" Grucci said.

To protect the fireworks from the rain, two plastic sheets cover each set of fireworks, which are also kept a few inches above the floor of the roof.

The first fireworks will go off 10 seconds before midnight, with a first-ever fireworks countdown in which the numbers 10 to 1 will explode above the MGM Grand, Venetian and Stratosphere.

Then the main eight-minute show will commence, accompanied by a new song called "LV" specially written for the New Year's event by Harrah's headliner Clint Holmes and Pat Caddick.

The song will be aired on KOMP 92.3-FM and KXPT 97.1-FM (The Point), Christenson said.

There will also be a laser and light show, and confetti cannons to help ring in the New Year.

While revelers on the Strip won't be able to see all the fireworks, the show is designed so that "no matter where you are on the Strip you will see two or three" sets.

"This is the largest show for New Year's by far," Grucci said.

Grucci's company is also doing the fireworks for the Times Square celebration in New York City, where it will be marking the 100th anniversary of the dropping of the famous New Year's ball.

Those heading to the Strip can also expect the usual annual heavy police presence.

Metro Police will be enforcing the Clark County law banning cans and bottles from the Strip, but plastic cups and containers will be allowed, police said.

Also, police could search large backpacks, satchels or other bags that could carry cans and bottles, police said.

The Strip will be closed to traffic between Russell Road and Sahara Avenue for most of Friday night. The closure will probably happen around 6 p.m., Metro Police said.

The New Year's Eve show also kicks off the city's yearlong centennial celebration, which marks 100 years since the May 1905 land auction that laid the groundwork for modern-day Las Vegas.