Las Vegas Weekly

January 1, 2010 · 11:32 AM

Photo Gallery: Flawless fireworks show ushers in New Year and decade

By Robin Leach

Fireworks erupt over Planet Hollywood and the Strip on New Year's Eve 2009.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

Tens of thousands of revelers jammed the Strip and other prime viewing areas for the midnight pyrotechnics that welcomed in 2010. The 7-minute, 11-second spectacular was fired from seven hotel rooftops, and our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue captured all the colorful action as the starbursts exploded over Planet Hollywood.

Casinos even emptied out, although in fairness, many gamblers ignored it all and kept praying for an ace and a king as crowds watched mesmerized. I watched from the top of the main promenade driveway at CityCenter. Couples kissed in between starbursts, and the cheers that went up at the end of the hypnotizing show were thunderous.

It’s as if we were all inside a circled wall of firepower because in the driveway, you could watch the fireworks atop the new Aria, Planet Hollywood and MGM simultaneously and see them reflected in the glass facades of Aria’s canopy and the Veer condo towers.

Everybody who waved to and chatted with me said it was the best yet. Fireworks czar Felix Grucci promised from his Rio rooftop command post to our Senior Editor John Katsilometes last night that next year will be even bigger and better!

Happy New Year, everybody, and best wishes for a great new decade.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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