Contact: Sunny Mindel
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today joined business and civic leaders to welcome the integral part of the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball to New York City. Alderman Pat Haynes, the Mayor of Waterford, Ireland, escorted the crystal panels from Ireland to John F. Kennedy International Airport and presented them to the Mayor and other distinguished guests. The Ball will drop from One Times Square this New Year's Eve to mark the beginning of the new millennium.
"Since 1907, New Yorkers have gathered in Times Square to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve," Mayor Giuliani said. "On this December 31, the entire world will be watching the Times Square New Year' s Eve Ball, designed by Waterford Crystal, as the clock counts down to midnight. This magnificent piece will lead the way into the next millennium and I am proud to welcome it to the Capitol of the World."
The new Ball, designed by Waterford Crystal, will be six feet in diameter and features 540 hand-crafted crystal triangles which arrived today. Transparent, its central circle will represent the earth while its seven-pointed star will represent the planet's continents. It replaces the old Ball, which features 12,000 rhinestones and weighs 500 pounds.
This welcome was sponsored by the Times Square Business Improvement District, Countdown Entertainment and NYC 2000, the official New York City Millennium Committee. NYC 2000 was established through an executive order to ensure that the City's celebrations are befitting of the world's financial and cultural center. Comprised of a dynamic group of business and community leaders, NYC 2000 will showcase the best New York City has to offer before an international audience on New Year's Eve 2000 and beyond.