Giant moonpie over Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. - With Christmas just three days away the City of Mobile is already gearing up for the new year.

City Council member Fred Richardson's idea for Mobile's annual New Year's celebration is huge. Six-hundred pounds, to be exact.

It's an electronic moon pie. Richardson said the moon pie will be raised to light up Mobile's skyline at the stroke of midnight.

"When you watch New Years night, they start off in New York with the crystal ball, they move down to Atlanta with the peach, and they wait for LA to wake up three hours later. In the Central Time Zone, nothing," he said.

Stephen Mussell has built more than 1,000 Mardi Gras floats over the past three decades. He was first contacted about building the giant moon pie this summer.

"I thought it was a little silly," he said.

But, Mussell quickly came on board with the concept which he thinks will boost Mobile and the it's Mardi Gras celebration.

"I think anything that's good for Mobile, is good for me, it's good for you. Let's do it," Mussell said.

Once this thing is finished it will have more than 1,200 lights all around, and in the white area surrounding each number and letter. Once it's raised 200 feet over the Mobile River, you should be able to see it all the way from Springhill.

Richardson spent $9,000 of his discretionary money to pay for the moon pie. But some critics say the money might be better spent on charity. Richardson said it's an investment in the city.

"Mardi Gras has been a success over and over the years. You're going to see the same thing for the moon pie drop. I'm not going to defend it, because you don't have to defend success," he said.

Richardson said proceeds from the event will go to charity. In addition to the electronic moon pie, the city of Mobile will serve up a 55 pound edible moon pie during the celebration, and hand out some 5,000 of the treats to revelers on New Year's Eve.

The celebration will continue right through New Years in Mobile, because that's the official start of the Carnival season this year.