The new 'Star of Hope' will countdown the new millenium at Times Square, New York

September 23, 1999
Web posted at: 6:07 PM EDT (2207 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) --The new "Star of Hope" crystal ball that will be dropped this New Year's Eve at Times Square was unveiled Thursday.

The crystal ball, designed by Waterford Crystal, is six feet in diameter and includes 504 hand crafted triangular pieces of crystal and nearly 700 lights. Each piece of crystal contains a circle portraying the Earth, and a seven-pointed star representing the seven continents.

The ball, which weighs more than 1,000 pounds, took more than a year to construct. On August 31, the crystals for the ball were shipped from the Waterford factory in Ireland to the Hudson Scenic Studios warehouse in the Bronx where it was assembled. The ball will be illuminated by more than 600 halogen light bulbs, 96 strobe lights, and 92 rotating pyramid mirrors.

Times Square will hold its largest party ever for the millennium, hosting a 24-hour live multimedia program broadcast on screens around the world. The broadcast will follow the New Year around the globe as it arrives in each of the world's time zones, beginning in the South Pacific at the International Dateline and ending in Western Samoa.

The ball has 504 hand crafted triangular pieces of crystal and nearly 700 lights

"Our theme is that we are all one race, one people, greeting this new era together" said Brendan Sexton, organizer for the event. Executive Producer Peter Kohlman promised that revelers in Times Square will experience the "biggest party ever held on Earth."

The tradition of dropping a ball down the 77-foot flagpole that sits atop One Times Square began in 1907. The first ball was made of iron.

Organizers declined to reveal just yet who will drop the ball ringing in the millennium, which is 99 days away. Asked how much the "Star" is worth, the organizers said it is one of a kind and "priceless."

Though the millennium doesn't actually begin until January 1, 2001, nearly everyone will celebrate the milestone this New Year's Eve.