Revelers packed Highway 50 in the Stateline casino corridor to celebrate the New Year in 2006.
Jim Grant/R-C file photo
While better weather and fewer concerns about the coronavirus may conspire to encourage a bigger crowd at Stateline, the traffic mess at Lake Tahoe this past few days may be enough to discourage the usual New Year’s Eve revelers.
Despite a similar weekend last year, only five arrests were made over New Year’s at Stateline.
Officials said last year’s celebration saw the lowest number of people in Stateline since the early 1980s.
Unlike Tuesday night, when everyone visiting over Christmas tried to drive Highway 50 all at once, the highway didn’t close for the first time in decades.
Law enforcement officers in Douglas County will be hoping for a repeat of last year but planning for the worst with New Year’s Eve on Friday and the holiday on Saturday.
The holiday has historically drawn thousands of people to the corridor to ring in the New Year.
Celebrants should be ready for frosty weather at Stateline with the low temperature dipping to around 7 degrees. New Year’s Day won’t crack the freezing mark before dropping back down to 9 degrees.
Douglas County will be drawing on surrounding agencies including the Nevada Highway Patrol, South Lake Tahoe police, El Dorado County Sheriff’s deputies and the California Highway Patrol to establish a large and visible presence.
The continuing goal of the Sheriff’s Office is to protect life and property while at the same time allowing celebrants to enthusiastically ring in the New Year.
However, acts of excessive rowdiness, fighting, throwing projectiles, vandalism, theft, narcotic violations, severe public drunkenness, possession of or discharge of fireworks, minors consuming or possessing alcohol, or any other disruptive act.
As part of establishing a safe environment, metal and glass containers are prohibited in Stateline into Saturday morning in order to prevent them from becoming missiles.
Alcohol and other liquids sold by the clubs will be in plastic or paper cups.
Curfew on New Year’s Eve is midnight Friday and parents are asked to keep track of their children. Anyone under the age of 18 is subject to being cited for being out after midnight.
Those under the age of 21 who are caught drinking or using marijuana could be subject to arrest.
Law enforcement and Stateline casinos and businesses are encouraging people to call for a ride should they be impaired.
Safe alternatives to driving impaired include designating a sober driver, taking a cab or using a ride-share app, stay the night if you are somewhere safe, and if you see a drunk driver call 911.
