Computerized Mechanism to Drop New Year’s Note

This is as far as the music note fell a year ago. Image courtesy Nashville CVB

Organizers of the downtown Nashville New Year’s celebration say they will not be embarrassed again. Last year, the music note that was set to drop at midnight got stuck halfway down.

“If I have to go up there and carry it down, it’s coming down.”

Butch Spyridon of the Convention and Visitors Bureau says the elevator mechanism has been replaced.

“It’s computerized. It has different speeds. Last year, when we finally figured out what happened, the wind blew a cable across the track at just the most inopportune time and the wheel jammed.”

Tourism officials expect crowds to rival those of last year when 55,000 packed Lower Broadway. Events begin at 7 pm with a new family hour that will include fireworks as well as the raising of the music note. The musical act headlining the evening is The Fray along with local act Sixpence None the Richer.