Question of the Day - 20 December 2006

What's happening in Las Vegas for New Year's? It would be a lot quicker to tell you what isn't! This city isn't known as the party capital of the world for nothing, although even we were surprised about how many inquiries we got about New Year's, which have literally been pouring in since July!

It would be pretty much impossible to give a comprehensive list of every party, club night, drink special, and firework, especially if we're going to give you enough notice to make plans. At time of writing, a significant number of venues were still playing their cards close to their chests and had not yet released details of events, times, and prices. What we can provide, however, is a list of the principal city-wide events, plus numerous club nights, a taste of restaurant plans, some bar parties, and some general info and tips. If you have a favorite venue that's not on the list, give 'em a call -- they're bound to be doing something, and if you're a Vegas New Year's newbie, what follows should certainly be enough to whet your appetite and give you some ideas.

MAIN EVENTS

• The Strip: The four mile stretch of Las Vegas Blvd. S. between Tropicana and Sahara avenues will once more be closed to traffic to host "America's Party." A far-from-exclusive affair, this humungous street party is expected to attract some 300,000 revelers, who will be granted the opportunity to cram in like sardines in a very small can. At midnight, the New Year will be rung in as it has been every year since 1999 (when the casinos were slammed for failing to stage any celebration whatsoever) and -- weather permitting (which it always does) -- with a huge five-minute and 40-second firework display launched from the rooftops of the MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Flamingo, TI, Venetian, Circus Circus, and Stratosphere. This year's theme is Lucky Number 7, hence the seven casinos (plus the Rio, although apparently they don't count, since they're not on the Strip), and the show will be choroegraphed to songs from the new 007 movie, Casino Royale.

  Fremont Street Experience: Not to be outdone, the party continues downtown, where Fremont Street will host two different stages featuring six different bands, including Five for Fighting, All-American Rejects, OkGo, Rockstar: Supernova, Smash Mouth and Chicago, recently described by our dear and ever-hyperbolic Mayor as "the six greatest bands of all time." They will also be showing a special New Year's light show on the overhead canopy, and it will all be nationally-televised, commencing at 8 pm. Tickets start at $80 per person. During the four-and-a-half hour broadcast on DirecTV's CD USA, the show will jump to live shots of various cities in each time zone across the US just before the official countdown to the New Year, and through the stroke of midnight in New York City, Austin, Denver, and Las Vegas. The gates open at 5:30 pm and you have to be at least 18 years old to be admitted.

THE CLUB/ULTRALOUNGE SCENE, WITH THE ODD BAR THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE:

Prices start around the $150 mark and soar into the low thousands, if you want the whole VIP treatment. As stated above, not all events had been confirmed at time of writing, but here's what we know so far:

• Mirage – Jet: The party's hosted by Kid Rock. Doors open at 10 pm and admission is $200 in advance or $250 at the door.

• Bellagio – Light: Hosted by the cast of Cirque du Soleil, doors open for this shindig at 10 pm and admission's $150 in advance or $200 at the door. Packages, including five-course dinner with champagne at Fix, are available for $350/$395. Table service is also available for $275, with a minimum of six people.

• Bellagio – Caramel: Doors open at 10 pm and admission is $40. Table service is available for $150 per person, with a two-bottle minimum.

• MGM Grand – Studio 54 hosts the "Ultimate New Year's Eve D