By Andy Proffet, Staff writer From Shelby News

It’s going to be a cold start to the New Year, with temperatures in the 20s—no surprise for Indiana.

That’s a big reason why Indiana Grand Casino is going with a Caribbean theme for today’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

“Why not offer guests a brief escape from the traditional winter weather, and have a good time?” casino director of communications Grant Scharton said Monday.

“And when you look around at other New Year’s Eve celebrations, some of them have the same kind of theme. With a Caribbean theme, it’s unique. It’s something fun.”

But a lot of work for the employees and decorators tasked with converting the casino into a “Caribbean paradise.”

“We started putting things up Friday afternoon,” Lisa Fuchs of Raindrops n Roses said. The floral shop, 530 E. Broadway, is supplying and setting up the decor for the event, which includes balloon sea animals and lighted tropical trees.

“We’ll be here throughout the day today and throughout the day (Tuesday) getting ready, putting out the decor. We’re adding lots of stuff,” Fuchs said.

Also hard at work on Monday were workers from NOTI, who were installing a 30-foot-tall LED display at the Center Bar for a virtual ball drop.

“You’ll be able to see it from every vantage point in the casino,” Scharton said.

And you might be able to see it twice. Besides the traditional midnight ball drop, there will one at noon as well for early birds.

“We completely understand that sometimes, whether it be work or just the fact that folks don’t want to be out late, we want to cater to those folks who would like to celebrate New Year’s,” Scharton said of the early celebration.

Scharton said casino team members will be wearing Caribbean-style shirts, and the casino has ordered 10,000 beach hats, Caribbean-style necklaces and leis for guests.

Entertainment will include a calypso band performing throughout the casino starting at 5 p.m., Polynesian style dancers roaming the casino starting at 8 p.m., and a concert by Jimmy Buffett tribute band Blue Stone Circle Band with Tom Watt.

Blue Stone Circle Band is the house band at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville at Universal Studios City Walk in Orlando, while Watt has been performing Buffett songs around the country since 1998.

The casino will also have a special menu.

“With an elaborate theme like Grand Caribbean, we have the dancers, we have the musicians, we have some of the costume changes and the party favors, but a big part of that is Caribbean food,” Scharton said.

“We’ve got Bahamian mahi mahi, we’ve got coconut curry shrimp, we’ve got some Jamaican items on the buffet, we’ve got all kinds of stuff going on,” said John Armentrout, the casino’s director of food and beverage.

“And we’re doing coffee stations as well, complimentary, to give people the opportunity to catch their breath before they have to drive,” he said.

Scharton said Rupert Boneham and his wife, Laura, will also be on hand throughout the day and night, with Rupert signing autographs.

“I will say that this year is probably the biggest celebration that this property has ever had in regards to New Year’s Eve,” Scharton said. “This has been months in the planning, we had a great New Year’s Eve committee that’s been meeting weekly to plan out the logistics.

“When you plan a party that, throughout the day, we will welcome more than 15,000 people through our doors, a lot has to go into it.”

There’s no cost to get in the casino for the New Year’s Eve events.

Indiana Grand Casino will ring in the New Year with a Caribbean theme. The casino features several specials today. (Andy Proffet photo)

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