New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol says the Big Apple is ready for the slew of major events happening next summer.
"We have the equivalent of nine Super Bowls happening in New York City," he told the New York Post on Wednesday.
"They're expecting about 3-billion-plus people to watch the World Cup next summer. We've got nine games [near] the city.
"But on top of that we have the 250th birthday of America," Iscol said.
"We're going to have fireworks on both rivers. We have 'Sail 250,' which is going to be like Fleet Week on steroids, plus we have all the parades and all the other stuff we have in the city that we have to deal with."
Eight World Cup matches are set to be played in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium, with more than 1.2 million tourists expected to travel to the New York-New Jersey region for the games.
Independence Day in the city is also expected to be bigger this year with the 250th anniversary of the United States. An "America 250/Sail 250" celebration is bringing an international fleet of tall ships plus U.S. and allied naval vessels to the Port of New York and New Jersey, a six-day event.
Organizers say more than 50 tall ships from about 30 nations plus dozens of "gray-hull" naval vessels are expected.
"The biggest challenges in coordinating, planning and executing 'International Naval Review 250' are basically the number of different elements that the operation encompasses," said Navy Rear Adm. Gavin Duff.
"One is just the sheer size and magnitude, bringing in 95 different ships from both the US and international allies.
"An average Fleet week numbers about five to seven ships," he said. "We're in the 18 to 20 times of what is normal."
And the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade and NYC Pride March in June consistently draw major crowds.
"We want to make sure that they all have the information they need in real time, and everyone is coming to the table as one unit for public safety," Col. David Sierotowicz, Homeland Security Branch commander of the New Jersey State Police, told the Post.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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