E-Paper
NYC's Times Square abuzz ahead of New Year's eve; packages cost up to $12,500
US food franchise Applebee’s is charging $650 for a table, whereas a luxury couples package at the Marriott Marquis will cost around $12,500.
New Yorkers are willing to pay up to $12,500 for party packages on New Year's Eve offered by hotels and restaurants at NYC's Times Square. The packages offer food, drinks and live entertainment, which some also provide an opportunity to witness the New Year's Eve famous ball drop at One Times Square in New York.
US food franchise Applebee’s is charging $650 for a table, whereas a luxury couples package at the Marriott Marquis will cost around $12,500, events entrepreneur Joshua Perla said as per the New York Post.
Founder of event websites, BallDrop.com and NewYears.com, said that there was a demand for several Times Square packages. Perla told Side Dish, “We are seeing an uptick in the price consumers are spending on New Year’s Eve tickets that include a live view of the ball drop in Times Square.”
He added, “You are really paying for the real estate, to be in the area and ultimately to get a view of the ball drop at midnight.”
Other offerings feature a $499 package granting access to the AMC 42nd Street movie theatre, transformed into a multi-floor nightlife venue with two terraces offering views of the Swarovski-encrusted ball. Attendance is capped at 400, compared to the theatre's usual capacity of 1,500 to 2,000.
For a more extravagant experience, the Broadway Lounge at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square offers the "prime couples' package" at $6,250 per person. This deal includes a table with a Times Square view, an open bar, dinner, and a concert by Skip Martin, a former member of Kool and the Gang.
The Renaissance New York Times Square is offering tickets ranging between $1,950 and $6,500 to its R Lounge, which provides a front row “iconic view of the live ball drop and the revelers around you”, Perla said.
The Times Square Edition hotel, in collaboration with Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser, presents two upscale New Year's Eve experiences. The first option, priced at $3,500 per person at 701West, offers a seven-course dinner with a wine pairing curated by Esquire's beverage director of the year. This includes a five-hour open bar, a specially crafted wine and cocktail list, live music, a midnight champagne toast, and VIP access to the live ball drop.
For a slightly more affordable choice, the "Garden Party" at $2,500 per ticket features canapés at the Terrace and Outdoor Gardens, an open bar with specialty cocktails, live music, a midnight champagne toast, an afterparty with a two-hour open bar from midnight to 2 am, and exclusive VIP access to the live ball drop.
