The Tristate's countdown to the new millennium has begun, with initial plans under way for what is expected to be one of the area's largest celebrations.
Planners of the event - knowing it'll be 1,000 years until the next millennium - want to make it memorable.
The Cincinnati Recreation Commission and Covington's Recreation Department have separately started brainstorming about such things as the celebration's size, possible venues, sponsorships and entertainment for 2000. They will be among numerous celebrations planned around the world.
The Vatican plans a series of Masses and celebrations to mark Christianity's third millennium. Pope John Paul II has formally launched the Roman Catholic Church's three-year preparation to celebrate 2000, a ''Jubilee year'' that he declared a time of pilgrimmage and celebration.
''There are some events that you have to look at as important,'' said Chod Hobbs, Covington's parks and recreation director. ''The millennium is that type of event, because we won't be around for the next one. This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime celebrations.''
The Cincinnati Recreation Commission's events team is expected to work with the park board and other city departments to produce the event, said Wayne Bain, assistant director of the commission.
Plans to hold the event are expected to be presented to city council this month. Quarterly meetings should begin in 1997, said Mr. Bain.
''We have to start planning it now,'' he said. ''There's just a lot of work to do.
''We envision celebrations throughout the Cincinnati downtown area. I think it will be one of the largest opportunities for people to celebrate a new era.''
Cincinnati planners envision a millennium event similar to the city's 1988 bicentennial celebration, which included the opening of Bicentennial Commons at Sawyer Point and the city's first Tall Stacks.
''It will be like the bicentennial event, but probably larger,'' said Mr. Bain.
Covington planners envision parties in such sites as Devou Park, the Memorial Building and the soon-to-be constructed convention center, said Mr. Hobbs.
''I will say this, I expect us to have some type of celebration, whether it's in conjunction with Cincinnati or Newport, I can't say,'' he said.
In all actuality, planners are jumping the gun on the new millennium, said Joe Foster, Unversity of Cincinnati anthropologist.
''They're a year early,'' he said. ''The new millennium actually begins one millisecond past midnight Jan. 1, 2001. But, of course, people can have a party any time they want to.''
