Las Vegas somehow made neon classy.
That's a bold statement, but while neon signs send one message when it's attached to a used car lot or a sketchy massage place, somehow in Las Vegas, they say something entirely different.
In Las Vegas neon signs are warm and welcoming. They might be a little kitschy, but even the newest casinos on the Las Vegas Strip embrace a bit of kitsch because it connects back to romantic notions of the Las Vegas of old.
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That's why the newest, most modern casino on Fremont Street, Circa, launched a non-fungible token (NFT) art collection based on the famous kicking cowgirl neon sign, Vegas Vickie, painted by prolific artist Jason "Borbay" Borbet last year. Call it past meets present, but Circa has embraced Las Vegas neon sign history and now the city has embraced its past as well.
The city of Las Vegas has embraced its history by restoring 15 classic neon signs in order to celebrate the 118th anniversary of the founding of the city.
Image Source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
Las Vegas Embraces Its Neon History
While the big properties on the Las Vegas Strip owned by Caesars Entertainment (CZR), MGM Resorts International (MGM), and other players are now how most people think of Las Vegas. Many visitors still have a lot of nostalgia for the Vegas of yesteryear. Neon signs are a key piece of that at the city has refurbished 15 classic neon signs -- all of which it owns -- as part of a $125 Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project.
The eight new signs which were relit on May 15, "now create a complete neon streetscape beginning with the gateway arches and showgirl signage all the way up Las Vegas Boulevard to The Neon Museum and Washington Avenue," the city shared in a press release.
The signs join the existing seven classic neon signs already installed in the Las Vegas Boulevard median. They "celebrate the history of vintage Vegas, beautify a world-famous roadway and create a neon trail to The Neon Museum," according to the release.
“Neon is our city’s native art form, and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our 118th birthday and the completion of the city’s largest-ever public works project than by lighting these beautiful signs,” Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman said. “These signs have found a home where millions will be able to see and enjoy them along the world’s most famous roadway.”
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Las Vegas' Neon museum, led by Executive Director Aaron Berger, has been a key player in the efforts to bring back the classic pieces of Las Vegas history.
“Our goal at The Neon Museum is to make Las Vegas history more accessible, and collaborations like this, that exist beyond the museum’s walls, help to achieve that. Installing these refurbished signs along the iconic Las Vegas Boulevard brilliantly showcases our city’s unique history to the millions of visitors we welcome every year,” Berger said.
The eight new signs that were first re-lit on May 15 include.
- Par-A-Dice, 1953, installed just north of Oakey Boulevard;
- Apache Motel, 1965, installed north of Bridger Avenue;
- Golden Inn Motel, 1960, installed south of Bridger;
- Clark Inn, 1962, installed north of Clark Avenue;
- Lone Palm Motel, 1954, installed north of Garces Avenue;
- Domino Motel, 1960s, installed north of Hoover Avenue;
- Fun City Motel, 1952, installed just south of Charleston Boulevard; and
- Rummel Motel, 1968, installed south of Oakey.
The newly refurbished signs join the historic signs on Las Vegas Boulevard already in place that include:
- The Horseshoe Casino, 1951, now located just north of Washington;
- Silver Slipper Casino, 1950, now located near the Neon Museum at McWilliams Avenue;
- Bow and Arrow Motel, 1950s, now located south of McWilliams;
- Society Cleaners, 1946, now located just south of U.S. 95/Interstate 515;
- Normandie Motel, 1940s, now located just north of Stewart Avenue;
- Lucky Cuss Motel, 1955, now located just south of Stewart; and
- Hacienda Casino, 1956, now located at Fremont Street.
