The Palais Royale to Host New Year's Eve Dinner/Dance Party

The Palais Royale - South Bend's Premier Event Facility -- is pleased to host its annual New Year's Eve dinner/dance party on Thursday, December 31, which starts at 7:30 p.m. By popular request, this year's event features the return of The Tom Milo Big Band, an 18-piece big band well-known to dance couples, playing a wide selection of music, ranging from the Glenn Miller tunes of the 40's, to Frank Sinatra, to the contemporary hits of artists such as Billy Joel. Many of the band members have toured with top name musicians such as Stan Kenton, Les Elgart, Duke Ellington, and others. Join us on New Year's Eve for a fine dining experience and the opportunity to ring in the New Year on the area's most historic dance floor. Photographer Peter Ringenberg will be available for optional photos at a nominal cost. Black tie is optional.

Tickets are $100.00 per person which includes passed hors d'oeuvres, elegant plated dinner, dancing, midnight festivities and champagne toast. A full cash bar and a specialty cash bar with a variety of wines, champagne and martini's will be available. Tickets can be purchased at the Morris Box Office or over the phone at 574-235-9190 or 800-537-6415. The Morris Box Office is open regular business hours Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online 24 hours a day at www.MorrisCenter.org. Tickets can also be purchased at Morris Ticket Outlet with credit card: Hammes Bookstore & Café located in Eddy Street Commons, South Bend.

A hotel overnight package special at the DoubleTree Hotel is available to people attending the New Year's Eve Gala. The DoubleTree Hotel is located just a short walk from the Palais Royale in downtown South Bend. The special rate is $99.00 per night which includes breakfast the next morning and hotel parking. For hotel booking information, call the Morris Box Office at 574-235-9190 or 800-537-6415.

The Palais Royale ballroom opened in 1922 and hosted all the major big bands of the day. Duke Ellington, Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, Harry James, Guy Lombardo and Cab Calloway are just a few of the great bands seen at the Palais in its heyday. There were dances every night of the week and the Palais was the place for countless celebrations, performances, dances and gatherings. In the 1940's, the Palais was used as a WWII serviceman's center. After the war the ballroom was transformed into a boxing arena, bowling alley and roller hockey rink. In 1967, the Palais became "The Top Deck" a teen nightclub. The ornately decorated walls were spray-painted with 140 gallons of flat black paint and neon cartoon decals were pasted on the walls. Within a year, the venue was shut down and remained virtually unused for over 30 years.

Having been neglected and severely damaged during its years of vacancy, the ballroom underwent an extensive twelve month restoration at the cost of $ 6.9 million, reopening on New Year's Eve 2002. Today the Palais is the premier event facility in South Bend hosting a variety of celebrations from weddings, banquets, dances, proms, award ceremonies, fundraisers, receptions, banquets, meetings, business and social events.

The South Bend Tribune, B100, News/Talk 95.3 MNC, Fast Signs and Louie's Tux Shop are sponsoring this year's New Year's Eve Dinner/Dance Party.

www.PalaisRoyale.org www.MorrisCenter.org