Chi-Town Rising, originally called free, will cost money to see live

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Originally billed as free, the much-ballyhooed new Chi-Town Rising New Year’s Eve celebration now says its centerpiece moment will be visible only to people who pay.

The event, a downtown extravaganza of music, fireworks and holiday spectacle, builds to the ascension of a 70-foot star alongside the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E. Wacker, to usher in 2016.

The announcement of the event in September said, “Chi-Town Rising will be free to the public.” Since then, tickets ranging from $99 to $150 have gone on sale for two private viewing areas: “Broadcast Boulevard,” the area of Upper Wacker Drive between Michigan and Columbus, and the “Corona Beach House,” offering heated tents at Lower North Water and Columbus.

Free, live viewing of the evening festivities, organizers say, is not an option. “Chi-Town Rising is a privately funded event,” says an FAQ at the Chi-Town Rising website. “There are no designated public areas to watch or hear the event in person.”

The only way to watch without paying, Chi-Town Rising says, is to go somewhere else and turn on a TV. “Chi-Town Rising will be broadcast live on NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago for those wishing to see the event for free,” the FAQ says.

Leading up to the midnight countdown will be five hours of live music with bands including future Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Chicago, American Authors and the O’My’s.

For those determined not to spend, Chi-Town Rising also touts its free Family Countdown Celebration happening hours earlier – from 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 31 — in Millennium Park.

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