Country for PR: United States
Contributor: PR Newswire New York
Tuesday, December 29 2020 - 16:46
AsiaNet
People Across The Globe Come Together To Celebrate New York's First Ever Virtual New Year's Eve
NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

  -- Leaders from as far as Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and
     Spain, and Mayors from cities as close as Atlanta, Boston, Houston, Los
     Angeles, and Miami join New York in marking this historic occasion

  -- Organizers of the New Year's Eve Ball Drop Celebration invite families
     around the world to post video messages on Instagram describing their
     hopes for 2021; a select few may be chosen to participate in a live
     broadcast hosted by Wonderama's David Osmond

Organizers of the famed New Year's Eve Ball Drop Celebration are bringing the 
world's biggest party right to your home, live and direct from the crossroads 
of the world, Times Square. Jamestown ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3022938-1&h=2829879349&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jamestownlp.com%2F&a=Jamestown 
), owner of One Times Square - home of the iconic New Year's Eve Ball - has 
collaborated with Ultimate Gamer, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Samsung, and 
others to create a first-of-its-kind virtual New Year's Eve experience ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3022938-1&h=2771069082&u=https%3A%2F%2Fnye2021.com%2Fauthenticate&a=experience 
) to allow people to ring in the New Year safely. 

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1386919/Jamestown_Logo.jpg 
Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1386920/VNYE_Logo.jpg   

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said: "New Yorkers are excited for a fresh 
start in 2021, and we'll ring in the New Year by doing what we do best: looking 
out for one another. We're keeping our city safe by forgoing large gatherings, 
and I know this dynamic virtual programming will still make this New Year's Eve 
a night to remember."  

Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins said: "New York has always been a 
global city and Times Square New Year's Eve a global celebration, so we are 
pleased to join with mayors from around the world to virtually celebrate 
together and to say goodbye - finally! - to 2020."

To mark this historic occasion, US mayors from Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, 
Charleston, Charlottesville, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Savannah, and Seattle 
along with leaders from Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, 
and Spain are joining the festivities to help New York in sending messages of 
hope and optimism for 2021.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said: "Thank you to Jamestown and all of the 
partners for organizing a safe event to celebrate New Year's Eve. Although 2020 
has been full of challenges, the fact that we are here to celebrate a New Year 
is a testament to the resilience of people around the world."

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh said: "2020 has been a challenging year, but it 
has also shown us how strong we can be when we support one another. In Boston, 
and in cities and towns all across the United States and across the globe, 
we've found creative ways to keep traditions alive and stay connected, safely. 
New York's first-ever virtual New Year's Eve celebration is a great example of 
that, and we're proud to be a part of it as we look forward to better days 
ahead in 2021."

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said: "It's a genuine honor to be able to 
help ring in the New Year in Times Square, and to offer everyone, everywhere 
best wishes for a happy, healthy 2021. As we say here in Charleston, Happy New 
Year, y'all!"

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said: "This year has been unlike any other -- 
unprecedented, painful, filled with loss and anguish -- so it's only fitting we 
should bid farewell to 2020 in a unique, fun, safe, and virtual way. While we 
can't gather together to ring in the New Year like we usually do, let's all 
look ahead to 2021 with hope, vigilance, selflessness, the promise of a vaccine 
and an end to this crisis -- and a return to the embrace of family and friends."

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said: "Here in New Orleans, we know how to 
celebrate; we practically invented it, and we are looking forward to ringing in 
a New Year. We also know how to rise to a challenge, and 2020 was a year of 
challenges. In our city, and across the country, we are putting in the work and 
there is a light at the end of this tunnel, and we will continue to move 
forward together. On behalf of the City of New Orleans, I wish everyone around 
the world good health, happiness, and prosperity in the New Year."

Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan said: "2020 presented unprecedented challenges 
for cities across the world. We saw the resiliency, compassion and 
determination of our neighbors, friends, essential workers, and first 
responders to respond to a one in a lifetime pandemic and economic crisis. In 
2021, there is so much hope on the horizon. Cities like Seattle will build back 
stronger, better and more equitable. We still have some tough months ahead, but 
we have the grit and determination to not just get through them, but to create 
a better future for the next generations. May the New Year bring us all peace, 
joy, and happiness. Goodbye 2020 and hello 2021."

Everyone everywhere can start the festivities today by downloading the NYE app 
to enter the virtual world of Times Square. On December 31st, viewers can tune 
in for a live broadcast presented by David Osmond, host of the award-winning 
television series Wonderama. The all-night show will feature amazing talent and 
greetings from world leaders and families as we all ring in the New Year 
together.

Event organizers are inviting families from around the world to post video 
messages on Instagram describing their hopes for 2021. A select few who post 
videos and tag @OneTimesSquareNYC and #WonderamaWishes may also be chosen to 
speak with David Osmond in the coming days and have their message featured 
during the live broadcast. 

Wonderama Host David Osmond said: "All of us at Wonderama are thrilled to be a 
part of this historic world-wide celebration. We are all ready to move on from 
2020 and in ring in a fabulous New Year! I am proud to be virtually hosting 
this exciting event, culminating with iconic ball drop in Times Square. It is a 
global community coming together with a shared wish for health, happiness and 
human kindness."

Jamestown President Michael Phillips said: "Here in New York, One Times Square 
is the place where people mark the world's biggest moments. It is also the 
place where a million-plus people gather each year to celebrate New Year's Eve. 
When it became clear to us, the Times Square Alliance, and our partners in the 
city and the state, that this celebration would not be possible this year, we 
turned our attention to creating a new platform that enables everyone, 
everywhere to join us virtually in Times Square. For us, this was a simple 
decision. Jamestown, as a steward of New Year's Eve, had a responsibility to 
bring people together, in a safe and socially distanced way, while making sure 
the time-honored tradition of ringing in the New Year didn't get lost in 2020."

Mayor de Blasio will push the crystal button on the main stage in the center of 
Times Square, which signals the lowering of the Waterford Crystal Times Square 
New Year's Eve Ball. Historically, he is joined by special guests on the 
mainstage for this moment. This year, due to onsite social distancing 
protocols, guests will not appear on stage with the Mayor. This year each guest 
and their family will represent the Everyday Heroes of 2020 and will watch the 
event from a private, physically distanced viewing area.

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said: "2020 has been a difficult year, due 
to the COVID 19 pandemic. We need to continue making extraordinary efforts to 
reduce the number of people infected by the virus. To the health personnel, we 
owe you our life, on behalf of all citizens, we thank you. We must honor their 
efforts by being responsible. Together, we will overcome. Each one of our 
actions has an impact on the evolution of the pandemic. We must take 
responsibility for our actions. The most important thing today is our health, 
our lives."

Fukuoka City Mayor So­ichiro­ Takashima said: "We are all fighting COVID-19, 
but there is one more fight against discrimination towards infected citizens. 
Our enemy is the virus, not each other. We must not let it divide us."

                                      ###

About Virtual New Year's Eve:
Jamestown has created a gamified New Year's Eve experience to bring the look, 
feel, and iconic celebrations from Times Square to you. Create your 
personalized avatar to enter and explore the virtual world of Times Square in a 
year when you can't be there in person.

For those who want to dance it out, take in nature, or experience zero gravity, 
VNYE has three fun games where you can collect celebratory confetti points to 
outfit your avatar. Gamers and esports fans can head to the Ultimate Gamer 
Lounge to connect to exclusive content and giveaways. Music fans can view 
exclusive performances by emerging musicians Alex Boye, Armani White, and Chloe 
Gilligan.

The experience also features a multimedia art exhibition, Hi-Resolution. The 
60-piece collection from 45+ digital and contemporary artists-including Shyama 
Golden, Molly Soda, Jeanette Getrost, and Ines Alpha- focuses on setting 
intentions for the coming year. 

Finally, on December 31, tune in for a Livestream from Times Square, as we 
countdown to midnight and the iconic Ball Drop Celebration. Direct your New 
Year's Eve show through the NYE experience: check out Twitch as creators share 
our broadcast on their channels, choose your view of Times Square from multiple 
camera feeds, and watch New Year's celebrations from around the world and even 
the International Space Station through our EarthCam Rolling Live feed.

For more information, visit VNYE.com ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3022938-1&h=172785430&u=https%3A%2F%2Fnye2021.com%2Fauthenticate&a=VNYE.com 
) or download the app NYE in all app stores.

About Wonderama:

Wonderama is a legacy media brand, with a 40+ year history in entertaining 
kids. Today, it has been reimagined and relaunched to critical acclaim. 
Designed to entertain, educate and engage kids and families across multiple 
platforms through our original content, Wonderama blends musical performances, 
science experiments, cooking demos, games, and much more in every episode. Our 
creative and interactive approach makes learning truly resonate with kids.  

Wonderama is certified by Stanford University and Metropolitan College of New 
York as Educational and Informational Programming. Wonderama has quickly 
expanded its platform to help serve the educational needs of elementary and 
middle school kids. With over 100 half hours of television and close to 500 
individual video segments. Wonderama TV is syndicated across the U.S in over 
100 markets, and distributed internationally. It is also available on Amazon 
Prime FVOD service, Tubi TV, an eponymous Music Choice Channel and through our 
own YouTube Channel.

About Jamestown:

Jamestown is a design-focused real estate investment and management company 
with a 35+ year track record and a clear mission: to transform spaces into 
innovation hubs and community centers. With headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, 
and Cologne, Germany, and offices in Amsterdam, Bogot¨¢, Boston, Los Angeles, 
New York, and San Francisco, the company is known for its market discipline. 
Since its founding in 1983, Jamestown has executed transactions in excess of 
$35 billion, and as of September 30th 2020, the company has assets under 
management of $11.8 billion. In its capacity as owner of One Times Square in 
New York City, Jamestown is the producer and host of the time-honored New 
Year's Eve Ball Drop Celebration, which brings people from around the world 
together to welcome in the New Year.  Other current and previous iconic 
projects include Chelsea Market in New York City, Industry City in Brooklyn, 
Ponce City Market in Atlanta, Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, and the 
Innovation and Design Building in Boston. Jamestown recently expanded its 
investment footprint to South America and Europe.

Media Contacts:

Virtual New Year's Eve:
Aarti Parekh / Lauren Weil
M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment LA
aarti.parekh@mcsaatchi.com / lauren.weil@mcsaatchi.com 

Jamestown:
Jessica Scaperotti
Jessica.Scaperotti@Jamestownlp.com 

One Times Square:
Elizabeth Latino / Siobhan Stocks-Lyons
Marino
elatino@marinopr.com / SStocks-Lyons@marinopr.com 

SOURCE: Jamestown
Translations

Japanese