Published: November 04, 2009 01:29 am      

NIAGARA FALLS: Falls funds keep things Rockin’

Thanks to a financial boost from the city, it will be a Rockin’ New Year’s Eve in downtown Niagara Falls.

City Council members have unanimously approved a recommendation by Mayor Paul Dyster’s administration to spend up to $50,000 to partner with the Niagara Falls Hard Rock Cafe and put on a New Year’s Eve celebration downtown.

The party, which will be the fourth outdoor event the city has sponsored with the Hard Rock this year, will include music, food and other activities. The evening’s highlight is expected to be the dropping of a 100-foot guitar counting down to midnight. The Hard Rock Cafe in Memphis hosted a similar party with a guitar drop to ring in 2009.

“It’s been some time since our city had a New Year’s celebration,” Dyster said. “We know we have a lot of people visiting from out of town for Christmas and New Year’s.”

Dyster said his administration is still working out the final details with Hard Rock officials, but the event is tentatively scheduled to be held in the west pedestrian mall downtown near the restaurant.

The $50,000 allocation will come from the city’s share of casino funds. Of the $60 million the city has received from the casino since 2003, $195,000 of it has been spent on various concerts and festivals to help promote the area and encourage economic development.

In particular, the city sponsored three outdoor concerts this summer with the Hard Rock to the tune of $92,000.

Ron Anderluh, revitalization coordinator for the Niagara Street Business Association, spoke out against the latest allocation at Monday’s council meeting.

“I like to party too but I don’t think the city should be spending casino money to fund development,” said Anderluh, who has been a vocal critic of spending city casino cash on festivals and concerts. “We have no accountability on what we get out of these events. ... We need to give these people some incentive to go out and find money on their own.”

Council Chairman Chris Robins defended the New Year’s Eve sponsorship and said the city welcomes any partnerships that will help cast a positive light on the area.

“Obviously, we want to do a New Year’s celebration,” Robins said.

Last month, City Controller Maria Brown reported that an influx of motorists attending the Hard Rock summer concerts helped the city’s public parking ramp take in more than $300,000 in revenue as of the end of September, more than doubling the $123,000 that was projected for the entire year.

Robins said that increase proves the concerts are drawing more people downtown and are worthwhile.

Dyster is hoping the New Year’s Eve celebration will be part of week-long activities. The city has already allocated $30,000 to help sponsor the United Way of Niagara’s annual holiday lights display at Hyde Park.

The United Way is also hosting a New Year’s Eve party, but that event is scheduled for earlier in the evening and won’t conflict with the Hard Rock’s countdown, Dyster said.

Contact reporter Rick Forgione at 282-2311, ext. 2257.