The New Year’s Eve party on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas is "private" to the extent that it’s open to the public, but there’s an admission charge ($60 per person). It extends for the five blocks of the Fremont Street Experience and it’s heavily fortified against party crashers, so the crowd is self-selected in terms of the hefty fee to get in and controlled in terms of its size. Also, the people who tend to trend downtown are older than their Strip counterparts, so this wing of the Las Vegas New Year’s Eve Party, officially dubbed "America's Party Live in Concert," is noticeably less rowdy and more sedate than the one on the Boulevard.
Still, the number of people is somewhat crushing. Last year, 17,000 party-goers were stuffed under the crooning canopy. And if you're staying in a downtown hotel on New Year's Eve, take note. Security guards are stationed at the front doors along Fremont Street to check for the wristbands that grant access to the party. If you don't have a wristband, plan on going and coming from your hotel through the back doors.
Also, if you wish to casino hop via Fremont Street, but don’t want to pay the $60 for admission to the party, you'll be able to do so but there’s a catch: You'll have to ask a Fremont Street Experience security guard to escort you to your desired destination. To avoid the escort, you can scope out the various casino entrances that don’t open directly onto Fremont Street and use them. In other words, you're welcome to revel for free in and around the downtown casinos, just not on the five-block portion of Fremont Street under the canopy of lights.
Two casinos are offering room packages that include wristbands:
Four Queens: two-night package, $199 per night, includes two wristbands; three-night package, $175 per night, includes two wristbands.
Plaza: two-night package, $199 per night, includes two wristbands; three-night package, $499 total, includes two wristbands.
The following casinos are not offering packages that include wristbands: California, El Cortez, Fitzgeralds, Fremont, Golden Nugget, and Main Street Station.
Here are the details on America's Party Live in Concert at the Fremont Street Experience. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. (the party runs till 12:30 a.m.). Guests can access the venue via three gates: They’re located at Fremont and Casino Center, Fremont and 4th, and Fremont and Main.
Two bands, the Doobie Brothers and the Bangles, will perform on stages at either end of the party. The height of the California-based Doobies’ fame was in the 1970s and they had a score of number-one hits, including "Long Train Runnin'," "Listen to the Music," "China Grove," "Black Water," "Taking It To The Streets" and "What a Fool Believes."
The Bangles were one of the first all-girl rock bands, bursting onto the scene in the 1980s. Their hits include "If She Knew What She Wants," "Walking Down Your Street," "Manic Monday," and one that hit number-one on the pop charts, "Walk Like an Egyptian."
In addition, the Riders of the Thunderdome will put on their "Globe of Death" motorcycle show. The Globe of Death is a four-ton hollow steel ball, 14 feet in diameter, in which four daredevil motorcyclists so simultaneous riding at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
There will also be a fireworks show launched from the roofs of seven of the ten downtown casinos. And light shows will broadcast from the Viva Vision screen above Fremont Street.
You must be 18 years old to attend. Purchase tickets by calling 877/834-2748 or at vegasexperience.com.
