LAS VEGAS LIGHTS UP

Beer swillers, street preachers, Santa Claus, a record-breaking motorcycle jump.

Just another New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.

The annual fireworks show to welcome Baby New Year went off without a hitch as thousands of people crowded Las Vegas Boulevard and the Fremont Street Experience to say goodbye to 2007 and ring in 2008.

As the clock struck midnight, John Melton of Memphis, Tenn., screamed toward the sky with his hands in the air as fireworks boomed overhead: "I can't wait to win some money, party and kiss my wife. If I die today, I'll be happy."

At the same moment, Reginalld Thomas rained down $5,000 in $1 bills on the crowd at Poetry in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

Thomas planned to shower the crowd with $100,000 throughout the night.

Tourism officials expected 303,000 people to visit Las Vegas for the celebration. Some of them paid big-ticket prices for star-studded parties at various Strip nightclubs. Thousands more braved the chilly air to party on Las Vegas Boulevard and see the fireworks show in the sky and the oddballs on the street.

As one man yelled into a microphone, "The reason why we are so blessed in this country is because of Jesus," another held a blowup doll, named Dolly, clad in a purple negligee, black conical bra and white thong underwear.

"She's classy. We dress her classy," said the man with the blowup doll who declined to give his name because of his "prominent job in Phoenix."

As the clock approached midnight, the crowds grew larger. Partyers pushed their way past each other along the street littered with outcall ads and beer cans.

They were watched by more than 2,300 Las Vegas police officers who lined the five-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard from Russell Road to Sahara Avenue.

Police reported a relatively quiet night along the Strip. As of 11:30 p.m., police reported at least 42 misdemeanor arrests valleywide.

"A lot of folks drink quite a bit and have trouble getting home," Lt. Chris Hoye said. "We're here to facilitate that a little bit, if you know what I mean."

The officers worked in staggered shifts to help cut the fatigue that comes with standing all night without a break. It was a new twist on the Metropolitan Police Department's blueprint for one of the largest New Year's Eve celebrations in the country.

"We continually adapt, modify and change our plan," Sheriff Doug Gillespie said after finishing an afternoon briefing with his line supervisors.

Gillespie said he wasn't any more nervous for his first New Year's Eve as the county's top cop than he had been during previous years as undersheriff or other command positions.

"There is no information to make us believe Las Vegas is a target any more than it is on any other day of the week," Gillespie said.

Every law enforcement agency in the valley played some part in the night's operations, he said, including the Nevada National Guard.

The guard provided troops at McCarran International Airport and other locations, including drainage tunnels leading under Las Vegas Boulevard. Guardsmen also were in the air in Black Hawk, Chinook and Kiowa helicopters.

One partyer, however, appreciated police for more than their efforts to protect.

Brittani Buckway, 23, of Salt Lake City leaned over a guardrail separating officers from the crowds and kicked her red 3-inch heels behind her.

"The cops here are so hot," she slurred at officers M. Kinney and S. Richmond before spilling her drink.

"We're just doing our job protecting the public," Richmond said as Buckway and her five friends fawned over him.

While most of the revelers came to the Strip to find a party, Ray McIntire traveled from Parkersburg, W.Va., to help people find Jesus. He was one of 20 evangelists, including one from Norway, that set up in the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard in front of Caesars Palace.

"This is Sin City! Get over it," hollered one passer-by before being dragged away by a female companion.

"I've had stuff thrown on me," said McIntire, holding a large sign and a bullhorn. "Jesus said, 'If they hate me, they are going to hate you.' "

McIntire said the group is not affiliated with a church or any organization, just a group of believers.

"Hey, can I take your picture?" called out a passer-by.

"Sure, you can take my picture," McIntire responded. "Can I talk to you about Jesus?"

New Zealander Shane Cocker wasn't interested in finding religion during his first New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.

"I'm in the middle of the road in Las Vegas," he yelled while holding a plastic water bottle filled with beer and posing with friends for a photo behind street preacher "Bible" Jim Webber and his "Trust Jesus" sign.

Earlier, police made Cocker and his buddies get rid of their 18-pack of Miller Lite beer cans, so they waited by a trash bin hoping to find a plastic bottle. A "beautiful lady from heaven" fulfilled their wish with an empty one-gallon water jug, which made a perfect carrier for their beer, he said.

Elsewhere, Brian Meek and his wife, Beth, were enjoying the night life on the Strip, which was a far cry from their home in Columbus, Ohio.

"If I was at home I'd probably be sleeping," Brian Meek said. "We had to do this once. It's better than Times Square, a bigger party in Vegas."

His wife interrupted: "We might as well lose some money while we're at it."

Tourism officials expected New Year's Eve partyers to drop more than $211 million in nongaming revenue in the Las Vegas economy.

The casino and a handful of shops at the new $1.8 billion Palazzo opened unannounced late Sunday evening to take advantage of the crowds, even though the high-end resort's hotel tower won't open for two weeks.

The nearby Fashion Show mall did its part to cash in, locking up and clearing out shoppers at 6 p.m. so it could start charging partygoers $30 to park.

Some sought spectacles off the Strip. At the Rio earlier in the night, motocross star Robbie Maddison set a motorcycle distance jumping record by sailing over 322 feet before a national TV audience.

Hours before midnight, Namor Romano and his 14-inch bleached white mohawk stood in front of Harrah's sipping a beer. He and three friends made the last-minute decision Sunday to pile into a van and make the trip from Los Angeles. With no hotel room, the foursome slept in the van in a hotel parking garage.

"Hey, what happens here exactly? Do they fire off some fireworks or something?" he asked, revealing his status as a Las Vegas New Year's Eve rookie.

He found out at midnight, when the fireworks barrage opened up from atop seven hotels along Las Vegas Boulevard. Gusty winds of more than 20 mph roared through the valley in the afternoon, but they died down as night fell.

As the clock struck midnight, Clark County fire officials gave the go-ahead and the show went on. The $500,000 show, dubbed "The Best is Yet to Come," ran more than eight minutes while big band and swing music played over the crowd.

At the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas, about 14,000 revelers gathered under the canopy to hear The Doobie Brothers and The Bangles rock in the new year.

"Forget about the stupid Strip," said Mayor Oscar Goodman. "The real party is downtown on Fremont Street. This is where the cool people are. All of the drunks are out there.

"I apologize, most of the drunks are over here."

Among the downtown crowd were James Adams and Geneva Derr of California who came dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus.

"We just believe Santa loves to party," Adams said, "and he came to Las Vegas."

Review-Journal reporters Alan Choate, Arnold M. Knightly and Beth Walton contributed to this report. Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0281.