Strip resorts prepare for second big New Year's Eve fireworks show

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is scheduled today to announce plans for "Big Bang 2002," the annual New Year's Eve celebration. And, for the second consecutive year, fireworks will illuminate the Las Vegas skyline.

This year's show is expected to resemble last year's display, which included 22,000 shells exploding for about 10 minutes over Las Vegas Boulevard.

An estimated 263,000 visitors were in Las Vegas for last year's celebration, and many of those crowded onto the Strip to watch the fireworks, launched from 11 resorts seconds before midnight.

The Grucci family, which has produced major fireworks displays worldwide, including the past six presidential inaugurations and the show accompanying the opening of the Bellagio in 1998, will produce this year's show.

Officials with the LVCVA and Las Vegas Events, a nonprofit group that promotes Las Vegas as a tourist destination, want the fireworks show to culminate a weekend of celebration in Las Vegas -- New Year's Eve falls on a Monday.

Big Bang I, last year's show, cost about $500,000. Officials said this year's display should cost about the same, but declined to release details until this morning's press conference.

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