New Year’s Eve won’t be the same on Fremont Street, but it’s open

The Fremont Street Experience will remain open on New Year’s Eve, albeit with less pomp and circumstance than in years prior.

The six-block entertainment district will act as a pedestrian walkway to those 21 and over Thursday evening. Those who want access to the area and its hotel-casinos from 6 p.m. on will be charged $25 for a security fee wristband and will be required to go through security screening.

The walkway will close at 5 p.m. on Thursday for a security sweep and reopen at 6 p.m. for those who have a wristband or are staying at the hotels along the Fremont Street Experience. There will be no live entertainment or bands, but the SlotZilla zoom-line will run between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to the Fremont Street Experience’s website.

The Plaza hotel, located on Main Street, is set to have a fireworks show on its rooftop to celebrate the new year. The display will be broadcast on local television, and there will not be any public viewing areas for the show.

Security measures include a clear bag policy, bag checks, ID scans, screening through metal detectors and a COVID-19 assessment.

It’s unclear how many visitors will be allowed into Fremont Street Experience on Thursday. Current state COVID-19 restrictions limit gatherings to 50 people or 25 percent capacity, whichever is lower.

Spokespeople for the Fremont Street Experience did not respond to questions on whether an occupancy limitation will be enforced, and they referred questions to an online FAQ that says attendees will need to wear a mask and practice 6 feet of social distancing.

In early November, officials from the entertainment district had submitted plans to host a New Year’s Eve event with live music and roughly 10,000 attendees, but it was not approved by the Clark County Recovery Organization because the virus was spreading too quickly.

On Monday, Nevada’s 14-day positivity rate ticked up 0.1 percentage points from the day prior, to 19.9 percent.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended typical New Year’s Eve celebrations across the Las Vegas tourist corridor. The Strip has replaced its fireworks show with a virtual livestream event. Restaurants cannot sit more than four at a table, and casino floors must limit capacity to 25 percent.

“The best way to ring in the new year is in small groups with advance reservations at your favorite restaurant, casino, resort or attraction or from the comfort of your home,” reads a Monday statement from Clark County, the city of Las Vegas, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.