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A32 FEATURE
Friday 28 december 2018

Las Vegas to welcome

2019 with superstars,

fireworks show

In this Dec. 31, 2015, file photo, people watch the fountains at
the Bellagio while wearing paper hats to celebrate New Years
Eve in Las Vegas.
Associated Press
By REGINA GARCIA CANO as part of the residency she
Associated Press kicked off this year. Calvin
LAS VEGAS (AP) — No other Harris, The Chainsmokers
city does New Year’s Eve and J. Cole are among
like Las Vegas. those performing at night-
Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars clubs.
and Gwen Stefani are While Las Vegas is known
among the superstars who as a place for last-minute
will be ushering in the new trips, tourists who want to
year with performances ring in 2019 here should act
at venues on the Las Ve- fast. Tourism officials expect
gas Strip, while more than 318,000 people to travel to
300,000 people are expect- Sin City for the holiday and
ed to gather on the world- nearly all the city’s more
famous corridor Monday than 147,000 hotel rooms
to watch eight minutes of to be booked.
fireworks. “Now is the time to do it,”
At another celebration in Chris Baldizan, senior vice
the downtown Fremont president of entertainment
Street entertainment dis- booking and development
trict, 12 bands will play un- at MGM Resorts Interna-
der a massive video can- tional, said about booking
opy that will show the ball a trip for the holiday. But
drop in New York’s Time “we’ll always find a spot for
Square. “The only thing that somebody.”
can top Las Vegas is Las New Year’s Eve is worth an
Vegas on New Year’s Eve,” estimated $403 million to
said Jacqueline Peterson Las Vegas, according to
of the Las Vegas Conven- the convention and visitors
tion and Visitors Author- authority, which is respon-
ity. “The city continues to sible for promoting the des-
evolve itself. We never run tination.
out of things to do.” In addition to concerts with
Gaga’s New Year’s Eve tickets on sale for the gen-
concert at Park Theater at eral public, casino opera-
Park MGM casino-resort will tors also host over-the-top
be the third of her long-an- private parties for their VIP
ticipated residency, which guests.
will debut Friday. Veteran Caesars Entertainment
Las Vegas performer Celine hosted nine of those last
Dion will be at The Colosse- year, which included DJs,
um at Caesars Palace, and dancers, fireworks shows,
Maroon 5 will celebrate the thousands of bottles of
holiday once again at the champagne and perfor-
Mandalay Bay Events Cen- mances by Katy Perry, Jen-
ter. nifer Lopez and other stars.
Stefani will take the stage Five hangover brunches
at Zappos Theater at Plan- were served the next
et Hollywood casino-resort morning.q