This year’s New Year’s Eve theme for “America’s Party,” as organizers have dubbed Las Vegas’ celebration, is “Takin’ It To The Streets.”

And they mean it literally.

Because of a regulatory change sparked by a fire at the Monte Carlo resort earlier this year, the massive New Year’s fireworks show will be launched from parking lots and parking garages, not the roofs of towering casino-resorts on the Strip.

“The issue with us changing the location was the new regulations that were put on firing the show from the rooftops,” said Michael Mack, director of marketing for Las Vegas Events.

In January, workers using a torch to cut corrugated steel started a fire on the roof of the Monte Carlo resort that ignited a type of decorative foam that’s found on several other Strip casinos. The fire forced the evacuation of the hotel’s guests and damaged rooms on the hotel’s top five floors.

Following that, Clark County officials “took another look at our policies and procedures to make sure everything was as it should be,” said county spokesman Dan Kulin.

That resulted in a new rule: “To have a fireworks launching site on a rooftop, they would have to hire a fire safety engineering firm to inspect the area,” he said. “It still is allowed. There’s just another step that they have to take.”

Event organizers did not mention the regulatory change at an event announcing New Year’s Eve plans Tuesday. Instead, they played up the fact that the fireworks will be closer to the audience.

“If you’re on the Strip in the right locations, you’re going to get a much better view of the individual fireworks than you have in the past,” said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events.

Felix J. Grucci, vice president and CFO of Fireworks by Grucci, put it this way: “When they’re on top of the roofs, they’re spectacular and it’s a wonderful panoramic view ... But this year we said, 'Maybe it’s time we brought the fireworks closer to the people so that we can make it part of the Strip, part of where the action is happening.’ ”

Viewing locations have been mapped out for the launch locations, which are the Mandalay Bay convention center lot, the Luxor’s parking lot, the parking garages at the MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, the Stratosphere and Treasure Island, and the Gold parking lot at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

There will also be a fireworks show under the canopy of the Fremont Street Experience downtown.

About 250,000 people are expected to ring in the New Year on the Strip, with another 30,000 flocking to Fremont Street’s stages and light shows.

“People are yearning for the opportunity to escape and to have a fantasy, and what better place to come to than Las Vegas, and what better time than New Year’s Eve?” said Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

“I believe that this is going to be the start of a great year for Las Vegas. I believe that this is going to be the start of a comeback, as far as our economy is concerned.”

Vince Alberta of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ticked off a list of entertainers lined up for New Year’s Eve, including Kid Rock, Pink, Stone Temple Pilots, Carmen Electra, Usher, New Kids on the Block, the Kardashian sisters and Fergie.

There will be motorcycle stunts too — Robbie Knievel is set to attempt to jump the refurbished volcano at the Mirage, and Robbie Maddison will attempt to land his bike on top of the 96-foot-high L’Arc de Triomphe replica at Paris Las Vegas.

At the Rio, meanwhile, motorsports star Rhys Millen will attempt to be the first person to backflip a trophy truck — a goal that was derailed last year by a training injury.

The Fremont Street Experience is featuring a host of tribute groups on New Year’s Eve, including acts dedicated to the music of the Eagles, Billy Joel, David Bowie, KISS, Queen, the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith.

Admission is free for people 21 and older with a valid Nevada ID. Otherwise, tickets are $20.

 The Strip courtesy of the Life Magazine/Google Archive

Here at Classic Las Vegas we realize that the Holidays are almost here.   If you have friends or family who love history (especially 20th Century Las Vegas history) we hope we can help with some gift ideas:

In the last year, we have helped save the Huntridge Theater by working with the Save the Huntridge grass roots organization and the property owner to help ensure that the 1940's Charles Lee facade does not get destroyed.

We helped save Las Vegas pioneer Charles "Pop" Squires house from being destroyed by developers.

Brought attention to the destruction of the Las Vegas High School neighborhod. This neighborhood is on the Historic Register and yet, houses keep getting destroyed for McOffices.

We worked with the Atomic Age Alliance and VeryVintageVegas to try and save Maude Frazier Hall, the first building on the campus of UNLV.

We participated in various Historic Preservation Month activities as well as the Historic Preservation gathering in Boulder City this past summer and the inaugural Historic Preservation Summit this past October.

Ways you can help us continue to do good works:

1. Give a friend or loved one a year's membership (it's tax-deductible) for the Friends of Classic Las Vegas. Our group is dedicated to helping preserve the 20th Century history of Las Vegas. We hold monthly meetings and work with other community groups to help preserve not only buildings and signs of our past.  Through our Archive Project, we are the one group dedicated to helping preserve the stories and memories of the men and women who helped build Las Vegas into the Entertainment Capital of the World and make the Las Vegas of today possible.

To become a member or give the gift of membership click here:

http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/join-today-become-a-fclv-membe/

2. Make a tax-deductible donation to the Friends of Classic Las Vegas. We know that times are tough and the economic crisis is at the forefront of everyone's thoughts. But historic preservation is important to support even in these lean times. Your contribution helps save Las Vegas history and we all know how important that is.

To make a tax-deductible donation to the FCLV click here and scroll down to the middle of the page:

http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/join-today-become-a-fclv-membe/

The Friends of Classic Las Vegas is a recognized 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Las Vegas history.

3. Do you enjoy this site and all the history that we have written about? The History of Fremont Street, the History of the Original Strip Hotels, the photo galleries, the historic entries? We hope you do and you can help support this site by making a donation. We try to update this site every couple of days with interesting stories not only on preservation issues and historic sites but on what is happening in modern Las Vegas as well. We try to include photos, especially the historic ones, as often as we can. In the new year, we will be posting video clips and podcasts as well from our historic Archive project. This site is, as you can imagine, labor and time intensive but we try to bring the real history of our town to our audience. We appreciate the time that people spend here as well as the comments they leave for us.

You can help us by making a donation today for the maintenance, care and handling of this site by clicking here:

http://tinyurl.com/626bnf

4. Buy our DVDs! They make great gifts for anyone interested in the real history of Las Vegas. "The Story of Classic Las Vegas" is a first-person narrative documentary that lets the men and women who made the history here tell the story.

http://www.classiclasvegas.com/coolstuff/forms/merch_order.htm

The "Tribute to Don English" is a wonderful look into the photographer who snapped many of the photos that not made Las Vegas but many of the ones in our collective memory.

http://www.classiclasvegas.com/coolstuff/forms/merch_order.htm

Whether it's for the holidays, birthdays or any special occasion, give the gift of history. You won't regret it. We've got some great things coming up for this site in the New Year and we look forward to sharing them with you! If you haven't subscribed to the site, please do so you don't miss out on all the great historic information we have coming up!

 Sands Owner Jake Friedman giving gambling advice to a tourist  Life Magazine/Google Archive

Photo  courtesy of the Las Vegas Review Journal

Update at 11:00 pm:

Interstate 15 both north and south is closed at Primm.  The Nevada Highway Patrol and Caltrans will decide tomorrow morning when to reopen the highway.

The majority of evening and night flights at McCarran International Airport have been canceled leaving travelers scrambling for hotel rooms and trying to make other travel arrangements.  The airport will likely reopen in the morning.

All Schools in Clark County will be closed tomorrow (Thursday) with students and teachers getting a rare snow day.  However, administrators and support personnel will be expected to report for work

As of now, the snow has stopped and the cold front has moved on.  Overnight there may be isolated showers or the occasional snow flurry.

The Vegas Valley goes to sleep tonight under a blanket of snow.  Slightly higher temps and patchy sun is forecast for Thursday.

______________________________________________

Yes,  it is snowing here in Las Vegas (and not just in Summerlin, Spring Valley and at the higher elevations) and it is sticking to the ground.

Here on the eastside of town, near Tropicana and Eastern, we are enjoying one of the rarest sights in Las Vegas, snowfall.

"Oh the weather outside is frightful"

"And the fire is so delightful"

"And since we've no place to go"

"LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW"

It probably won't last overnight but for now we are enjoying it!

Here at Classic Las Vegas we realize that the Holidays are fast approaching.  If you have friends or family who love history (especially 20th Century Las Vegas history) we hope we can help with some gift ideas:

In the last year, we have helped save the Huntridge Theater by working with the Save the Huntridge grass roots organization and the property owner to help ensure that the 1940's Charles Lee facade does not get destroyed.

We helped save Las Vegas pioneer Charles "Pop" Squires house from being destroyed by developers.

Brought attention to the destruction of the Las Vegas High School neighborhod.  This neighborhood is on the Historic Register and yet, houses keep getting destroyed for McOffices.

We worked with the Atomic Age Alliance and VeryVintageVegas to try and save Maude Frazier Hall, the first building on the campus of UNLV.

We participated in various Historic Preservation Month activities as well as the Historic Preservation gathering in Boulder City this past summer and the inaugural Historic Preservation Summit this past October.

Ways you can help us continue to do good works:

1.  Give a friend or loved one a year's membership (it's tax-deductible) for the Friends of Classic Las Vegas. Our group is dedicated to helping preserve the 20th Century history of Las Vegas. We hold monthly meetings and work with other community groups to help preserve not only buildings and signs of our pas.   Through our Archive Project, we are the one group dedicated to helping preserve the stories and memories of the men and women who helped build Las Vegas into the Entertainment Capital of the world and make the Las Vegas of today possible. 

To become a member or give the gift of membership click here:

http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/join-today-become-a-fclv-membe/

2.  Make a tax-deductible donation to the Friends of Classic Las Vegas.  We know that times are tough and the economic crisis is at the forefront of everyone's thoughts.  But historic preservation is important to support even in these lean times.  Your contribution helps save Las Vegas history and we all know how important that is.

To make a tax-deductible donation to the FCLV click here and scroll down to the middle of the page:

http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/join-today-become-a-fclv-membe/

The Friends of Classic Las Vegas is a recognized 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Las Vegas history.

3.  Do you enjoy this site and all the history that we have written about?  The History of Fremont Street, the History of the Original Strip Hotels, the photo galleries, the historic entries?  We hope you do and you can help support this site by making a donation.  We try to update this site every couple of days with interesting stories not only on preservation issues and historic sites but on what is happening in modern Las Vegas as well.  We try to include photos, especially the historic ones, as often as we can.  In the new year, we will be posting video clips and podcasts as well from our historic Archive project.  This site is, as you can imagine, labor and time intensive but we try to bring the real history of our town to our audience.  We appreciate the time that people spend here as well as the comments they leave for us.

You can help us by making a donation today for the maintenance, care and handling of this site by clicking here:

http://tinyurl.com/626bnf

4.  Buy our DVDs!  They make great gifts for anyone interested in the real history of Las Vegas.  "The Story of Classic Las Vegas" is a first-person narrative documentary that lets the men and women who made the history here tell the story.

http://www.classiclasvegas.com/coolstuff/forms/merch_order.htm

The "Tribute to Don English" is a wonderful look into the photographer who snapped many of the photos that not made Las Vegas but many of the ones in our collective memory.

http://www.classiclasvegas.com/coolstuff/forms/merch_order.htm

Whether it's for the holidays, birthdays or any special occasion, give the gift of history. You won't regret it.  We've got some great things coming up for this site in the New Year and we look forward to sharing them with you!  If you haven't subscribed to the site, please do so you don't miss out on all the great historic information we have coming up!

Photos courtesy of the Life Magazine/Google Archive

More photos from the Life Magazine/Google Archive:

This was taken by Life photographer, Loomis Dean, in 1952.  Back then, $3,000,000 was a lot of money.

Today the same plot of land would sell for considerable more.  I have to say, I do enjoy seeing all that

desert.  Reminds me of the Las Vegas of my youth.

Comedian Phil Silver gets in on the showgirl act in another great Loomis Dean picture from the Las Vegas Strip, circa 1952.

The famous Dinner Show audience watches the opening act, possibly the Copa Girls from the famed Sands Hotel.  This is another photo by Loomis Dean that captures the quaintness and the energy of the Las Vegas Strip of our collective memory.

Las Vegas World War II Bond Rally

Today's Las Vegas picture from the Life Magazine/Google Archive is the wonderful photo from 1943.

The police are guarding $500,000 in silver that is part of World War II bond rally.  It could be at the El Rancho Vegas, the Hotel Last Frontier or one of the small gambling joints on Fremont Street.

The photographer was John Florea.