STORY:
New Times Square Ball Arrives

500-pound Waterford Crystal ball wings its way to New York

The 3,000-mile trip began early in the morning. The "Star of Hope" crystal triangles were taken by caravan from the Waterford factory in Kilbarry, Ireland for the three hour trip to Dublin Airport. As the specially-designed cases carrying the Ball’s crystal triangles were carried onto the Aer Lingus flight to New York, Waterford Mayor Pat Hayes, Waterford Chairman Redmond O’Donoghue, and Aer Lingus Chairman Jack Foley toasted the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball using a ceremonial four-foot Waterford Crystal toasting flute.

Later in the afternoon, the ball made it safely to New York's JFK airport without a scratch. Hayes who accompanied the ball on its flight was greeted by Christopher J. McGillivary, CEO and President of Waterford Wedgwood USA; Brendan Sexton, President of the Times Square Business Improvement District (the BID); Jeffrey A. Straus, President of Countdown Entertainment; and (representing Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani) actor Ron Silver, Chairman of NYC 2000.

The new Ball will make its luminous debut as the centerpiece of Times Square 2000, the Global Celebration at the Crossroads of the World. Created as a 25-hour celebration of the world’s cultures, the Times Square 2000 official Ball Lowering is expected to be watched by over one billion people around the world.

The new Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball, designed by Waterford Crystal and lighted by Consolidated Edison, blends the Waterford craft tradition with new millennium lighting technology. Over 40 Waterford craftsman and designers contributed to its design and construction. The crystal triangles were handcrafted and specially annealed for strength, and then computer-tested for wind and temperature extremes.

The new Ball will be a transparent geodesic sphere, six feet in diameter, covered with 504 triangular pieces of crystal featuring an original Waterford Crystal design, the "Star of Hope." The specially handcrafted "Star of Hope" consists a central circle and seven-pointed star. The central circle portrays the earth, and the seven-pointed star represents the seven continents. The cluster of deep-wedge cuts which surround each individual star symbolize the diversity of humanity and the global focus of New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

Times Square 2000 will begin at 5:30 AM, EST, December 31, 1999, when the New Year arrives in the South Pacific. For 25 hours, the people and cultures of each of the world's time zones will be celebrated using sight, sound, pageantry and special effects. Live video images will be received from the time zones and broadcast to the crowds gathered in Times Square via giant Panasonic Astrovision screens.

DATE: 8/31/99

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