When the iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball begins its descent tonight in New York City audiences around the world will witness a striking upgrade brought to life with an assist from the Quad Cities-based IMEG.
Headquartered in Rock Island, IMEG announced Tuesday, Dec. 30, that its New York team played a role in the newly enhanced Constellation Ball. The Ball features nearly double the number of lights, three distinct sizes of Waterford crystal panels, and a more powerful motor to guide its famous descent.
IMEG’s New York team provided critical ventilation and telecommunications engineering services to support these enhancements, including power design for the upgraded winch motor, lighting distribution systems for the ball, and computer-integrated control systems, IMEG said.
IMEG is a leading U.S.-based engineering design firm known for its rare combination of delivering the broad expertise of a national leader with the personal relationships and deep collaboration of a local firm. With more than 100 offices, including Rock Island, and more than 3,000 team members, the employee-owned firm serves regions and markets with full-service, in-house engineering design.
One Times Square – the home of the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Celebration – unveiled the new Constellation Ball in late November. It marks the ninth iteration of the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. Measuring 12.5 feet in diameter and weighing 12,350 pounds, the enhanced ball is the largest yet, according to One Times Square.
The building was built in 1904 as the headquarters of The New York Times and is best known as the site of the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, a tradition that began in 1907.
The ball’s meaning
The iconic property in the center of Times Square is transforming into a year-round destination with new experiential attractions as part of a $550 million redevelopment by Jamestown. The global real estate investment and management company is the owner and operator of One Times Square.
At the Nov. 24 reveal, Jamestown President Michael Phillips said “With its circular crystals, The Constellation Ball is meant to represent interconnectedness, wholeness, and the cyclical nature of tradition, celebrating the eternal relationship between the past, present, and future.”
At the event, Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance said the Ball “is one of the most recognized symbols in the world, representing hope and new beginnings for millions. We’re proud to welcome the new Ball as it takes its place atop One Times Square for this year’s celebration and the many years to come.”
Here are some of the details shared by One Time Square:
- Its circular crystals are provided by Waterford, the official crystal of the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball.
- The new circular crystals represent a departure in design from the triangular-shaped crystals first introduced in 1999. With 5,280 Waterford crystals and LED light pucks, The Constellation Ball features three different crystal sizes including ones in 1.5-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch in diameter.
- Each new crystal size features a unique design that celebrates the ball’s spirit of eternal positivity. The 2025 Infinite Edition Crystals include: “Infinite Joy,” “Infinite Light,” and “Infinite Beginnings.”
- A new theme will be introduced later this year for the 2026 crystals with three new designs.
- The Ball also features new modernized technology, with state-of-the-art lighting, motion, and control system, as well as a new signature sound and interactive capabilities. Its real-time interactive audio system creates reactive and generative designs based on music or other audio input. Much of this technology was delivered by IMEG.
Part of a major renovation
The Ball will shine year-round as Jamestown transforms the iconic property with new experiential attractions as part of a $550 million redevelopment.
A dedicated viewing deck will allow visitors to experience the engineering and craftsmanship of the landmark up close, further cementing its status as a global icon.
Two ticketed experiences at One Times Square now let the public see the Ball up close. The Ball Access Experience takes guests to the 360-degree wrap-around viewing deck overlooking Times Square and to the Ball for a photo moment.
The Premium Ball Experience also provided guests the opportunity to craft a special message that will be translated into Morse code and visually communicated through light on the Ball for the world to see New Year’s Eve. Premium Ball Experience ticketholders will also receive a crystal as a keepsake to commemorate the experience.
“The Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball is one of the most recognized symbols in the world, representing hope and new beginnings for millions,” Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, said in a news release. “We’re proud to welcome the new Ball as it takes its place atop One Times Square for this year’s celebration and the many years to come.”
For more information about One Times Square, visit here. For more information about IMEG, visit here.
