Twice The Fireworks, Twice The Fun New Year's Week Celebration
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Mayor Michael A. Nutter today announced that the new tradition of two fireworks on New Year's Eve will continue as SugarHouse Casino returns to present Twice the Fireworks, Twice the Fun with two different shows 6 p.m. and Midnight, lighting up the skies over the Delaware River. Both free shows will be choreographed to unique soundtracks and launched from barges in the middle of the Delaware River with clear views from both Philadelphia and Camden. In addition, because the region's New Year's celebration is too big for just one night, Mayor Nutter announced the debut of the Philly New Year's Week, a new name to brand the time frame between December 26 and January 2 to highlight all of the many activities and events taking place throughout the region. Holiday celebrants can go to visitphilly.com/newyears for a comprehensive listing of events, activities, hotel deals, and other information to plan the perfect Philly New Years Week.
""The annual New Year's Eve fireworks at Penn's Landing bring residents, visitors and families together from around the region to celebrate the New Year," said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. "I would like to thank the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, SugarHouse Casino and many community partners for hosting this holiday tradition at our city's growing, thriving waterfront."
"The SugarHouse team couldn't be more proud to bring 'Twice the Fireworks! Twice the Fun!' to Philadelphia for the second year in a row," said Wendy Hamilton, general manager of SugarHouse Casino. "2012 will be a big year for SugarHouse so we want to start it off right. We're really looking forward to ringing in the New Year with the entire city, right from our waterfront property."
Visitors to both the Philadelphia and Camden waterfronts will be able to hear the synchronized soundtracks for the fireworks from speakers on the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing and Wiggins Park in Camden. KYW Newsradio will also broadcast the official soundtracks to both shows to allow revelers wherever they are watching to tune to 1060 AM to enjoy the fireworks displays with their coordinating soundtracks. CBS 3 will televise the traditional fireworks show live at Midnight, along with a special pre show leading up to the countdown so the entire Greater Philadelphia region can ring in the New Year with a bang.
"Thank you to SugarHouse Casino for the opportunity to continue the tradition of two fireworks shows on New Year's Eve. The earlier show at 6pm, which DRWC was proud introduce 3 years ago, has now become a new tradition for families with young children and those who would otherwise be somewhere else at Midnight," said Tom Corcoran, president of DRWC. "Fireworks over the Delaware River both summer and winter connect two cities that share one waterfront. We are proud that these fireworks can now anchor a new regional week long celebration."
Mayor Michael A. Nutter, together with Camden Mayor Dana Redd, spoke to this exciting opportunity for both cities. Twice the Fireworks, Twice the Fun will have twice the economic impact.
Twice the Fireworks, Twice the Fun is just part of an entire week long celebration including regional hotels, attractions and restaurants. Be sure to skate in the new year, the Blue Cross RiverRink at Penn's Landing is open seven days a week including all holidays and offers special ice skating parties during each fireworks show, for details visit www.riverrink.com.
To spread the word about everything going on during Philly New Years Week, today GPTMC is launching visitphilly.com/newyears with itineraries, information about attractions and events, cultural and arts performances, holiday activities, restaurant and dining updates and two on-line contests including the Ultimate New Years Weekend and the 2012 NHL Winter Classic Ticket Giveaway. People can also learn about hotel packages and book them on-line at visitphilly.com/newyears.
"During the week leading up to New Year's people want to spend time with friends and family who are in town," says Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). "We want to make it easy for them to find activities they can all enjoy, spend a night in a hotel and do as much as they can any day during the week and enjoy the holiday."
"The Camden Waterfront offers a great vantage point to watch the fireworks display with the Philadelphia skyline as a magnificent backdrop," said Anthony Perno, CEO of Cooper's Ferry Partnership. "We encourage everyone on the Jersey side of the river to come to Camden and join in the festivities."
Twice the Fireworks, Twice the Fun are presented by SugarHouse Casino. They are produced by the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation with support from the City of Philadelphia, the GPTMC, the City of Camden, Coopers Ferry Partnership, KYW Newsradio and CBS 3.
ABOUT THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA TOURISM MARKETING CORPORATION (GPTMC): The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region's vitality. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit visitphilly.com or uwishunu.com. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.
ABOUT SUGARHOUSE CASINO: SugarHouse Casino, named a 2011 "Best Places to Work" by the Philadelphia Business Journal, opened in September 2010 as Philadelphia's first casino. SugarHouse features 1,602 slots, up to 53 table games, fun and unique dining options, riverfront views and free on-site parking. The casino employs approximately 1,000 people and is one of 10 operating casinos in Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.
ABOUT COOPER'S FERRY PARTNERSHIP: Cooper's Ferry Partnership is an economic development corporation that facilitates long-range policy and infrastructure projects for the Camden Waterfront and surrounding neighborhoods, to revitalize the City of Camden as the place to work, live and invest.
ABOUT DRWC: The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) is a nonprofit corporation organized exclusively for the benefit of the City of Philadelphia and its citizens. DRWC acts as the steward of the Delaware River waterfront to provide a benefit to all of the citizens and visitors of the City.
The fundamental purpose of DRWC is to design, develop and manage the central Delaware River waterfront in Philadelphia between Oregon and Allegheny Avenues. DRWC intends to transform the central Delaware River waterfront into a vibrant destination location for recreational, cultural, and commercial activities for the residents and visitors of Philadelphia. DRWC will serve as a catalyst for high quality investment in public parks, trails, maritime, residential, retail, hotel and other improvements that create a vibrant amenity, extending Philadelphia to the river's edge.
