It’s the 4th annual Spa Resort Casino New Year’s Eve Party. This year’s theme is Rockin’ 80s. The big block party takes place in downtown Palm Springs. Rock Stars from the original cast of “Broadway’s Rock of Ages” will be performing to ring in the new year.

“It’s the excitement. People want to ring in the new year and have a good time tonight. Out with the old, in with the new,” said Agua Caliente Casino Resorts Entertainment Director, Dan Pferschy.

The giant New Year’s Eve celebration appears flawless on Dec. 31st, but takes months of planning. Pferschy said they started planning for the giant block party in June.

Dennis Layton, the owner of Audio Visual Live Inc., is in charge of making sure the concert and screens look and sound good. “ six days to build. We started with the Palm Tree and a crane crew. I can’t even count up the number of man hours and number of people and crew that it’s taken, but certainly, an army to say the least,” Layton said about how much preparation goes into the block party.

The celebration includes a live concert, food vendors, family activities, and of course, fireworks. “There are different effects. There are different looks in the sky. The music is different every year,” said the Fireworks America Regional Manager, Matthew Biolchino.

Pferschy said the goal is to one day make Palm Springs the West Coast New Year’s Eve destination. “We’re trying to build it up, so one day hopefully we can compete with New York City,” he explained.

Similar to New York City’s famous Times Square ball drop, there is a West Coast version at the block party. It is a giant palm tree that counts down to fireworks and the new year. “We do shoot some pyro off of the palm tree as the video board is rising with the countdown, and then as soon as midnight hits zero, it then transfers over to the roof, and then the whole roof ignites with fireworks right at midnight,” Biolchino explained.

Tickets to the New Year’s Eve extravaganza are $10 at the door. For more information click here.

Spa Resort Casino Prepares For New Year’s Eve Celebration