Hotels have two traditional opportunities for puttin’ on glitz and glamour to celebrate a calendar change—December New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year’s a few weeks later. Major casino resorts in Atlantic City and Las Vegas are among the high rollers who’ve discovered the business returns from such events.

Others, like the Fairmont San Jose, also enjoy the returns along with an annual opportunity to honor the hotel’s singular heritage. “The Year of the Boar” commences February 18–28, 2007, and the Bay Area hotel is planning an annual dragon march and dancing in the lobby against its everyday background of elegant Chinese antiques, original paintings, and sculptures.

The hotel’s Pagoda restaurant is the centerpiece for the multi-day event, because it is located on the original archaeological site where Chinese settlers established a San Jose community in the 1800s. A collection of artifacts that were recovered during the hotel’s 1985 construction are on view in the San Jose Chinese Historical Museum.

Cyril Isnard, the Fairmont’s GM, says his hotel’s Chinese New Year’s celebration will last for a week, and comes right on the heels of Valentine’s Day. “For us, this time of year is very special,” says Isnard, “primarily because of our location and heritage. We typically host about 1,000 guests during the week. We feature a six-course dinner in the Pagoda that’s served Chinese style to tables of six to twelve people. Next year’s menu will feature honey walnut prawns, julienne duck soup, Maine lobster with black bean sauce, striped bass with ginger and scallions, and lychee mango Chocolate Charlotte.”

December New Year’s envelops the hotel as well. The Imperial Ballroom is the scene of a big band dinner celebration that opens the hotel’s series of first-quarter public celebratory events. And dinner in the Pagoda features two seatings at 5 PM and 8:30 PM. On the evening menu will be spicy Ahi Tuna, Maine lobster Pad Thai, Korean style barbecued filet of beef, and a New Year’s Eve sweet sampler. In addition, guests may enjoy cocktails and live music in the lobby bar. Last year’s celebration drew about 1,300 guests in all venues, Isnard says.

At Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, New Years parties for invited guests are huge, says Rich Benninger, CMP, executive director of catering and conference services.

“We entertain our top casino customers on both dates,” he says. “For us, the resort’s casino is one of our best customers, and the events must be our best and most creative. They are the face of Caesars Palace to our customers and are truly our signature events of the year. So everyone at the highest levels puts great passion and energy into what we do.”

Caesars assistant VP for special events, Becky Martino, presides over about 100 resort events annually, which range from high-end occasions for 16 people, to July 4th, New Years, and Super Bowl parties. She says planning begins in late summer for New Year’s parties in two ballrooms so that up to 3,500 of the casino’s VIP customers can be accommodated. Entertainment, special events, banquets, engineering, and facilities departments all cooperate.

“The theme in 2007 will be 007,” she says. “The films will figure into the music and décor, with features like shadow dancers behind screens. Our martini ice bar was very popular last year, so we’ll repeat that. Dinner is usually four courses and follows a big cocktail party where we serve sushi, crab legs, shrimp, and caviar. Dinner finishes about 11:15 PM when showgirls posing as Roman statues come to life and pass out souvenirs.” The beat continues at a New Year’s Day brunch, she adds, when guests relive the big party in conversation and take-home photos.

One of Martino’s favorite New Year’s Eve triumphs during her 10 years at the resort is a chocolate lounge. “I just let my mind go on that one,” she says, “and we did it after dinner on two levels. You know, we do Rome like nobody else, so that was one occasion when Roman fountains and goddesses dished the chocolate.”

Caesars Chinese New Year events are another occasion for the resort’s restaurants to shine. Entertainment, cash drawings, red everything in décor, and sushi all the time are part of the scene.

Asian-themed New Year’s parties are also big in Atlantic City, where Bally’s and Caesars unfurl décor and sushi for VIP guests. Chinese New Year events occur on multiple nights, and guest numbers vary from 1,500 to 3,000. They are handled differently from December New Year’s events, says Michael Bowman, Harrah’s regional VP for Atlantic City F&B.

“Asians love to gamble, but mostly they don’t party or drink while gambling because they want to be clear minded. They are serious and smart about gaming, so they might be drinking OJ while playing. Afterwards, they’re ready to party, to have fun while eating and drinking.

“People think everything on the menu must be Asian. But guests like American favorites such as tenderloin of beef and raw shellfish bars. We also do food stations with things like broth and noodles, duck, dim sum, and congi for Vietnamese tastes, but everything is not Asian,” Bowman says.

The Atlantic City Harrah’s begins planning for both December and February events in summer. Once the marketing department sets the theme, top-secret planning unfolds in frequent meetings during the ensuing weeks, as menus and foodservice planning get established. A company crew constructs props based on approved architectural models in an off-site warehouse.

“Actual invitations are very secretive and must be spectacular,” continues Bowman. “There’s a lot of buzz around the events, especially when invitations go out around Thanksgiving. Everyone is trying to grab customers in this market, so competitors try to outdo one another.”

Over at the Borgata in the city’s marina district, VP of F&B Victor Tiffany and his staff are also ramping up for December New Year’s. And like every day of the year, the 40-story resort’s emphasis is on great food and wine in its multiple restaurants, clubs, and bars, says Tiffany.

“Borgata has the most F&B talent under one roof on the east coast, so we don’t do themes for New Year’s, but we do host about 1,400 guests at a private fine dining event where we add a Vegas-style show such as Jimmy Hopper, Paul Anka, or Cirque du Soleil. All of our restaurants also do special menus for the occasion and, in all, we serve about 5,000 people for dinner—some invited guests and some for the public. What they enjoy is not just the food but also the award-winning wine lists,” Tiffany says.

In nearby New York City, Bill Fisher, director of F&B at the InterContinental the Barclay, says New Year’s Eve events have gotten scaled down a bit.

“The majority of guests are looking to have a reasonable menu and then dash off to Times Square for the festivities,” says Fisher. “I’m planning to offer a beautifully executed four-course dinner featuring some of Chef Carmine’s signature dishes like pumpkin risotto, ravioli all’ uovo, and wild boar chop with fruit compote, among others.”

Guests looking for something lighter at the Barclay will be treated to a “taste of opulence” service including a champagne trolley with “very special” cuvees and Reserve Grand Crus by the glass, as well as an array of appetizers like Caspian Sea caviar with exotic Blinis, shaved tenderloin au poivre in gaufrette potato, parmesan gelato on pesto-brushed crostini, Kimomoto Oysters on the half shell with gelled mignonette, Escargots Bourguignonne, and proscuitto-wrapped prawns with lemon and rosemary vinaigrette.

So whether it’s San Jose, New York, Las Vegas, or Atlantic City for 21st century New Year’s celebrations, Guy Lombardo would be impressed.

Ruth A. Hill is a frequent contributor to HOTE F&B.