New Year’s Eve will be celebrated by many as a way to say good riddance to a bad year. But the bad year will help get a final word in as the popular New Year’s Eve party at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas got the sack unless Covid-19 cases show a dramatic drop in the next few weeks.
The Strip’s world-famous fireworks show was also canceled by local government officials in October, also over public
The Southern Nevada Health District made the call on the Fremont Street celebration in mid-November, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Plans submitted in early November said about 10,000 people would attend the event, stretched out over the six-block district. State guidelines at the time required any events with more than 250 people to acquire a special approval. On November 24, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak capped public gatherings to no more than 50 people for the next three weeks, expiring New Year’s Eve.
“Fremont Street Experience is unique in that we are a public street. We will evaluate all our options regarding New Year’s Eve with our top priority being the health and safety of our guests, partners and employees,” said spokeswoman Cassandra Down.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman hopes for some type of celebration given that the city has followed all recommended precautions.
Had it not been scratched, the party would have featured three stages of live music under the district’s giant LED display canopy, all with attendee temperature checks. The measures also included enhanced cleaning procedures, workers ensuring attendees were wearing masks and the Viva Vision canopy and other electronic signs regularly displaying reminders about safety guidelines. Social distancing would be in effect.
The spread of the virus is unlikely to go low enough to put the event back on.
“Based upon the experience of the summer drop off after the peak on July 11, it took 44 days after the peak for case numbers to return,” environmental health supervisor Mark Bergtholdt said.
