Final Restored Neon Signs to be Relit Monday Along Las Vegas Blvd. North

Posted on: May 15, 2023, 02:43h. 

Last updated on: May 15, 2023, 05:34h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Las Vegas Myths.

Eight more refurbished neon signs have been installed along Las Vegas Boulevard medians just north of the Strip. They will be relit Monday, May 15 at sunset to celebrate the 118th anniversary of the founding of Las Vegas.

A map showing the restored signs’ locations along Las Vegas Boulevard North. These neon signs will be relit today. (Image: lasvegasnevada.gov)

The newly refurbished and relit signs belong to the motels once dotting the same downtown area. They include the signs for the Par-A-Dice (1953), Apache (1965), Golden Inn (1960), Clark Inn (1962), Lone Palm (1954), Domino (1960s), Fun City (1952), and the Rummel (1968).

Yes, they’re more like Trivial Pursuit answers than household names. However, they join previously installed signs for more well-known Vegas landmarks, including the Horseshoe (1951), Hacienda (1956), and Silver Slipper (1954 or 1955), whose giant shoe was the subject of a recent entry in Casino.org‘s “Vegas Myths Busted” series.

The other previously restored signs once advertised were the former Bow and Arrow (1950s), Normandie (1940s), and Lucky Cuss motels (1955), as well as the former Society Cleaners (1946).

Fun City is one of the newest signs, all from downtown motels, that join previously installed signs with better name recognition. (Image: lasvegasnevada.gov)

The signs, installed from Sahara to Stewart avenues downtown, now form a neon trail leading up Las Vegas Boulevard North to the Neon Museum at Washington Avenue.

Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project

All the signs were refurbished by YESCO, with funding provided by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial and the city of Las Vegas. They are owned jointly by the city of Las Vegas, The Neon Museum, and YESCO Custom Electric Signs.

The new installations mark the completion of the $125 million Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project. The project began with the gateway arches (across from the Strat) and showgirls signage in 2020.

The project also includes improvements to infrastructure, some of which hadn’t been touched since the 1940s. This includes underground water, sewer, storm drain, gas lines, traffic signals, medians, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks.