Daytime and nighttime views of the La Concha Motel sign on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 2955 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Edward Doumani
Sign details: The La Concha is located north of the Riviera hotel Casino, just past the giant glass wall advertising for Splash. The La Concha double sided ground sign, sits close to the street on the east side of the strip, facing north /south. Directly to the east the origin of the signs shape resides in the form of the front structure of the La Concha's lobby structure. The sweeping elliptical roofline creates a structure dripping with the flavor of outlandish 50's-60's expressionistic modern design. The roadside ground sign reflects this shape actually mimicking it in a stylized silhouette of itself. The two icons are separated by a small but busy parking lot that expands north of the La Concha to house other similar style structures. The wings of the hotel, which extend out behind the main lobby, are a rather stark and plainly rectangular form, compared to the front portion of the lot.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 4 Lighting 4 Notes: Considering the age of the property and the sign, it is in great condition, everything is intact, but not perfect.
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: The sign resides in a pleasant spot of green grass, among the concrete and black top surfaces. A rectangular base, painted a light hue of blue and gold, supports a double-sided sculpted cabinet in a three-pointed crown, which is the stylized profile of the building in sits in front of. Below the main cabinet a triangular internally lit message center has been added, as well as two more, flat rectangular cabinets on the north and south sides. The cabinets are adorned with text that advertising for car rentals located in the same neighboring lot. Off of the west side of the cabinet a small circular cabinet is cantilevered off of the edge. It is an internally lit marker, noting that color television is available inside. The surface of the actual cabinet is painted red, and is somewhat faded. The section of the cabinet that would be dedicated to the low-lying portions of the La Concha's roof are addressed in white. The "La Concha" is spelled across the front of the sign in white text outlined in blue. The text is designed specific to the sign, for the capital L and C are shaped to match the contours of the crowns of the sign. The rest of the script also takes on some of the same stroke of the manner. Motel is spelled in the same coloring across the bottom right hand portion of the signs face, in block text. The very bottom portion of the cabinet is a black painted horizontal extension with edges that angle back into the body of the sign. The words "vacancy' are written across the surface of the sign to the right hand side. No is spelled on the left, but only in neon. When illuminated the main text is lined with a light electric blue, while the edges, and the top contours are lined with a pink and fuchsia glowing borders. The words "vacancy" and "motel" are lined in an orange, amber colored, warm tubing.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: none
Sign environment: The La Concha sits just to the south of the Riviera's giant glass wall. Headed south, the property comes into view, being a quiet transition from the extreme nature of the Riviera. The sign sits in a black top expanse that meanders back into the rest of La Concha's property. The base of the sign is surrounded with plants and curbing, firmly rooted into the urban mainstream of the neighboring street.
Sign manufacturer: YESCO
Sign - thematic influences: The theme of the La Concha can be drawn directly from 1950's and 60's modern design. Such curve can be seen signs of the decade for example the original Dunes pylon displays elements of such curve and swell. In Jorg Rugemer's Lost Las Vegas, there is a picture of a 60's era automobile sitting next to the building. It is used to show the influences of the structures design present in the design of something as common as the automobile. It is reminiscent of the protruding fins and large eye like taillights seen on such autos. The sign itself is an interpretation of the building in a silhouette form, so it's angle draw from the same pool as well. The coloration of the neon is also reminiscent of the era. The turquoise, vermilion and red are reminders of such properties as the original Flamingo, and the Algiers.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Graphics; Paint

Daytime and nighttime views of the Fantasia gift shop on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 2800 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: Fantasia on the Strip is located north of the Circus Circus, among the smaller properties located the northern end of the Strip before Sahara Avenue. The building faces east, only separated from the street by a small parking lot, which runs along the front of the property. The two-story building is adorned with a building length message cabinet, and sculpted, patterned raceways. The sign extends north across a drive designating parking in the rear. A small pole sign also sits on the east edge of the property.
Sign condition: Structure 3 Surface 4 Lighting 4 The Fantasia establishments signage looks decently weathered up close, for the colors and paint treatments are in good condition. The structure of the sign has a couple of anomalies that are apparent. The pole sign on the street side of the property has no face on the triangular portion of the surface. The far right hand side of the building fascia makes an uncomfortable transition into the support structure from the ground.
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia
Sign-specific description: The design is a building front, message cabinet running the length of the facade of the building, facing east. The white, steel, paneled front cabinet contains Blue and red plastic text. The larger fonts run the entire length of the sign and read "Souvenirs, T-shirts, Gifts, Indian Jewelry, Moccasins, Liquor," in an "old west" style text seen on properties such as the Frontier. This arrangement's color is blue. The bottom line of text is smaller and is broken up into three separate phrases and distributed evenly across the surface. The left side reads, " Jewelry, Belts, Hats, Cactus" in red cursive. The center is blue western font, reading "Las Vegas Souvenirs." The right hand side is red cursive again reading "Sundries, Food, Beer Wine, Ice." The bottom and top edges are lined with yellow raceways with incandescent bulbs. The top edge is created by a repeating series of raceway arches, matching the finish of the other edges. The top edge of repeating arches continues north past the edge of the cabinet onto a smaller, much thinner cabinet. The thinner cabinet looks as is if it is a continuation of the main sign with pieces cut out of it. The arches continue to the end of the extension and down connecting to a steel I-beam linked to the ground. The smaller plane reads "park in rear" in red, plastic, all capital, letters. Raceway arrows protrude through the bottom of the sign, pointing through the entrance it creates for traffic. The arrows are arranged on the bottom edge as if they are extensions of the imaginary points created by the meeting of the downward strokes two sides of two arches. Across the very top of the main banner, a narrow, red, steel cabinet reads the word "Fantasia" in white script. The script is surfaced with neon. Near the street, on the northern portion of the property, a pole sign holds an internally lit cabinet. The frame of the cabinet is a blue raceway whose western edge is fashioned into an arrow shape. White plastic comprises the face of the sign, which faces north south, and does not reach into the arrow section. It is a skeleton of a frame, with nothing in the middle. Translucent vinyl lettering is present on the face of the sign and reads "Liquor, Moccasins, Indian Jewelry 1/2 off," in all capital letters.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: Chasing
Notes: The only animation present is the animation of the incandescent bulbs on all the raceways surrounding the signs. The bulbs chase each other from left to right.
Sign environment: The fueling station resides on the northern edge of the strip before Sahara Avenue. Directly to the east, across the street is the Sahara Hotel Casino, but is flanked by smaller non-resort related properties. Along with the other two properties to the north and to the south, they seem as functional aspects for tourists and patrons of the larger properties of the Circus Circus and the Sahara. Almost dwarfed by the two nearby giants the properties can easily go unnoticed without the treatment of the illumination.
Sign manufacturer: YESCO
Sign - thematic influences: There is no real theme associated with the property other than being a typical Las Vegas strip shopping establishment. The unique array of raceways and chasing incandescent bulbs are reminiscent of the countless canvass of the same design technique seen all of the strip, yet retain a hint of originality with it's arched pattern. Another widely used element , present in the design, is the internally lit message center. These two simple elements are used in conjunction to create a unique display typical to the Las Vegas Strip. It fits into the context of the Las Vegas strip as one of the many gift shops, but stands out as one of the larger ones, with the most vibrant signage.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Pylon; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Paint

Daytime and nighttime views of the Alan Albert's restaurant signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3763 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: Following the alleyway created between the Walgreen's and Fatburger establishments, you can find the entrance to the secluded Alan Albert's. The restaurant is located on the Fatburger (north) side of the drive, found headed east down the south side of the building. The building quickly stretches out to the south and then continues east again. Signage is located on this extension of wall. The signage includes a logo wall sign, a neon back-lit glass block wall, as well as three small steel boxes adorned with crafted neon. Signage is also located on the Walgreen's dominated pylon out front.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 4 Lighting 5 Note:The structure of the sign is intact, and appears to be complete in all its parts. The surface of the sign is worn by the weather, but no worse than any other property.
Sign form: Fascia
Sign-specific description: The small face created by the south extension creates the space for the entrance to Alan Albert's. The sign hangs off this wall above a pair of large wooden doors, created with brown painted channel letters in a text specific to the establishment. They are painted white on the exterior. The channel letters are steel, outlined with white neon and filled with incandescent bulbs. White neon tubes underline each word. Almost the entire wall is created of translucent glass blocks. Behind the glass blocks there are tubes of red neon running vertically and horizontally along the open sections of the blocks create a glowing background grid of red light. The entire sign is supported with steel brackets, which are hung from the top of the roof hooking onto the wall of the building. The letters are hung at an angle pointing from the bottom toward the top right hand corner of the building. Below the main text on the right hand portion of the sign are three horizontal steel boxes hung consecutively, supporting text sculpted out of neon. The top box reads "Steaks," the second reads "Seafood," and the third reads "Prime-rib." On the Multi-use pylon the Alan Albert's signage only plays second fiddle to the dominant Walgreen's sign. It is four lines of text with the two lines of "Alan Albert's" filling the top spots. Below that "steaks, seafood, prime rib," sits above the text "so delicious intimate." The top two lines are spelled in brown channel letters, filled with incandescent bulbs, and bordered on the face with red neon. A narrow polished channel underlines each line of text and is lined with a single tube of white neon. The bottom two lines of text are smaller script channel letters lined with red neon. Below this collection of letters and bulbs, a backlit selection of signs also adds to the list. "Lobster House" is spelled in closed channel letters with red faces. A narrow internally lit green cabinet, with rounded ends, is treated with white script.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Glass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Oscillating
Notes: The incandescent bulbs inside the interior of the main text, oscillate rapidly. The effect is the shimmering effect seen so often throughout neighboring properties. It can be seen in the main building texts of properties such as the Monte Carlo and the Mirage. The Alan Albert's text on the Walgreen's pylon near the street is animated as well. The incandescent bulbs animate with an oscillating pattern steady burn on, then flash off, then on, off then starts to oscillate once again.
Sign environment: Alan Albert's sits tucked away from the bustle of the main street, guarded on both sided by Walgreen's and the Fatburger establishments. Besides the adjacent archway advertising for the Ginseng BBQ establishment, the signage for the Alan Albert's is the main attraction in the immediate space.
Sign manufacturer: YESCO
Sign - artistic significance: The significance of the Alan Albert's establishment fits in with other facilities on the Strip such as The Rosewood Grill, and Battista's Hole in the Wall, and the Peppermill. Considering that most dining establishments are located on the interior of the properties, these stand as excellent quality, intimate restaurants seen by and available to the pedestrian public. Like the everyday establishments dressed to fit in the Las Vegas Strip such as the neighboring Walgreen's, Alan Albert's is a non-casino dressed up to fit in with the local surroundings. The incandescent bulbs also contain the most common animation seen on the strip. The surface of the wall is turned into a blurry illuminated canvas with glass block wall, backed by a grid of red neon. The surface is a one of a kind for the properties in this survey and the genre that it represents.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Oscillating; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Paint; Graphics; Steel; Plastic; Glass; Fascia

Daytime views of the Tourist Bureau signs near the Las Vegas Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 5191 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: John Morris
Sign details: The Las Vegas Tourist Bureau is the first establishment on the strip after the McCarran Gates. It located in the south end of the property that is also occupied by the Klondike Motel Casino.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 3 Lighting 3 Notes: Some of the lighting no longer works, and the surface seems to be deteriorating in spots. The structural integrity is good.
Sign form: pylon, fascia
Sign-specific description: The Las Vegas Tourist Bureau is the first establishment on the strip after the McCarran Gates. It located in the south end of the property that is also occupied by the Klondike Motel Casino. Upon the small low-rise structure, white, internally lit message centers wrap the flat roofline of the north and west sides of the building. The cabinet's steel housing is painted yellow to match the borders of the doors below. The cabinets form a giant entablature with giant black vinyl lettering. The north face reads "Show Tickets" in all capitals, and the west face reads "Grand Canyon" in smaller all caps lettering on the left hand side. Three words in the large all caps text reads "Tours," "Rooms," and weddings. Above the internally lit cabinets, the roof rises up several more feet, and is finished in red steel siding, with vertical panels made to look like wood. It is the same as the treatment seen on the Klondike. On the surface of this upper extension and above the cabinets, yellow raceways form a series of arches all along the fascia. They are lined with yellow incandescent bulbs. Standing right next to the entrances on the west face is the giant, double pole, pylon sign. The giant blue poles telescope up three levels, before a horizontal, rectangular, internally lit, yellow cabinet, lined with incandescent bulbs on the widths edge. The plastic face is white with red text. "Las Vegas" is written on the left-hand side at an angle in two lines, and "Tourist Bureau," written horizontally in two lines, in all capital text. A steel grated platform sits just above the cabinet on two extensions of the poles. The platform runs well beyond the edges of the backlit cabinet. On top of the grate a black LED message center runs the length of the platform. Next to the driveway into the small parking lot, a small internally lit sign stands street side. The small sign is two yellow steel cabinets, with white plastic faces, and incandescent bulbs running along the width's edge. They are treated to match the message cabinet on top of the main pylon sign. On top of a thin blue, steel post, a smaller cabinet supports another slightly larger one. The top cabinet reads "Entrance" in faded, red, all capital text. Just below the text on the face of the cabinet, a faded red arrow points east toward the parking lot. Neon tubing is crafted to create a reproduction of the shape, hovering over the surface. The bottom cabinet reads "Parking" in the same text, and condition. The three signs together form a cohesive, matching set of signage appropriate for the property. The sign is actually cohesive with the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign on the median just west of the actual structure.
Sign - type of display: neon, incandescent, backlit
Sign - media: steel, plastic
Sign animation: Chasing
Notes: The incandescent bulbs chase each other around the perimeter of the sign.
Sign environment: Just to the west on the median is the famous "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign, and the Klondike to the north. An expanse of field reaches south, past an attached structure on the south side of the building. That field is the airfield. The structure is highly visible from the north, but a bit less from the south due to heavy foliage placed directly south of the giant pylon. The Giant pylon is highly visible, but has high competition in it's midst. The Klondike when illuminated is very bright, and the Welcome to Las Vegas sign's popularity attracts a great amount of attention. The Las Vegas Tourist Bureau is sort of an afterthought.
Sign - thematic influences: The theme associated around these signs is not so evident. Yes they are the typical elements such as the internally lit cabinet and the border of incandescent bulbs. It is a roadside pole sign design, but it is a bit unique to it's area for it is extremely tall in its surroundings, and it is a double pole supporting internally lit cabinet. The thematic influence is also evident in relation to it's surroundings. It's coloring, and basic principle of design is based on the neighboring welcome to Las Vegas sign. The are both double poled, internally lit, and have incandescent bulbs which chase each other around the outside edge. The coloring of the Tourist Bureau sign parts corresponds with the same parts as the Welcome to Las Vegas sign as well.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Chasing