David Riggleman | Director of Communications | 702.229.2207
Monday, May. 15, 2023 | For Immediate Release
MEDIA CONTACT: JACE RADKE | 702.229.2205 | 702.249.3514 | jradke@lasvegasnevada.gov
Newly Refurbished Neon Signs To Be Lit Tonight To Celebrate The Completion Of The Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project
Eight New Signs To Be Lit At Sunset To Celebrate City’s Birthday
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(Please use photos and video with a courtesy to the city of Las Vegas)
Eight refurbished and historic neon signs will officially be lit tonight at sunset to celebrate the city’s birthday and the completion of the Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project. The signs are owned by the city of Las Vegas, The Neon Museum and YESCO Custom Electric Signs, and 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 signs join the existing seven classic neon signs already installed in the Las Vegas Boulevard median. The signs celebrate the history of vintage Vegas, beautify a world-famous roadway and create a neon trail to The Neon Museum.
The lighting of the signs marks the completion of the $125 million Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project, which also included the additions of the gateway arches and showgirls signage. The eight neon signs were refurbished by YESCO, with funding provided by the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial and the city of Las Vegas.
“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.”
Aaron Berger, executive director of the Neon Museum, praised the collaboration.
“We are honored and grateful to partner with the city of Las Vegas and YESCO on this project that will preserve these beautiful neon signs – each of which are more than a half century old – for generations to come,” Berger said. “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.”
YESCO provided the elbow grease to get these classic signs refurbished and ready for lighting tonight.
“In a city known across the globe for its spectacular vintage neon signage, it is an honor to be part of this improvement project,” said Jeff Young, executive vice president of YESCO. “YESCO is thrilled with the results of the refurbishment and how we are lighting up Las Vegas Boulevard in true vintage style.”
The newly installed signs include:
The newly refurbished signs join the historic signs on Las Vegas Boulevard already in place that include:
The Las Vegas Boulevard Improvement Project updated infrastructure from Sahara Avenue to Stewart Avenue, with some of the infrastructure dating back to the 1940s. In addition to the new neon signage, the project included replacing underground utilities (water, sewer, storm drain, gas, fiber-optic/smart city infrastructure), traffic signals, medians, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and full-depth pavement; saving and replanting the existing median trees; and adding 200 new trees, bus stop access, pedestrian improvements and two new right-turn pockets. Right-turn pockets were added at the Charleston Boulevard and Stewart Avenue intersections.
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ABOUT THE NEON MUSEUM – Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. Fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, The Neon Museum has been ranked No. 1 in Las Vegas Weekly’s list of “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History,” Nevada’s “Best Museum” by MSN, No. 1 Pop Culture museum and one of the 10 Best Museums in Las Vegas by USA Today’s 10best.com, “One of the Top 10 Coolest Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do” by Forbes.com, one of the “Top 10 Historic Spots in Las Vegas” by Vegas.com; one of “15 Most Fascinating Museums in the U.S.” by VacationIdea.com; and earns a consistent 4.5 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor. On its 2.27-acre campus, The Neon Museum has an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard; the North Gallery, home to the immersive audio-visual experience “Brilliant! Jackpot,” which uses technology to re-illuminate more than 40 non-operational signs; and its visitors’ center inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes nine restored signs installed as public art in downtown Las Vegas. Public education, outreach, research, and arts conservation represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. For more information, including tour schedules and tickets, visit www.neonmuseum.org. Also follow @NeonMuseum on Facebook and Twitter and @theneonmuseumlasvegas on Instagram.
ABOUT YESCO – YESCO specializes in the manufacture of custom electric signs, sign maintenance and out-of-home advertising. In addition, YESCO operates sign and lighting service repair stores throughout North America as well as a sign financing business. Thomas Young founded the company in Ogden, Utah, in 1920 after borrowing $300 from his father. YESCO began by offering wall-painted advertisements, gold-leaf window lettering and coffin plates. Today, helmed by the second, third and fourth generations of the founder’s family, YESCO creates, services and maintains award-winning displays for some of the most prestigious brands. For more information, go to www.YESCO.com.
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