This folder is from the "Correspondence" file of the Sadie and Hampton George Papers (MS-00434)

As Las Vegas native Jim Olson looks back on his law career, he keeps returning to the case that gouged a sooty scar on his memory, altered legal practice and technology in Southern Nevada, captured the world's imagination, and changed international building codes-the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino fire of November 21, 1980, that killed 85 people and took eight years to litigate. Olson became involved with the litigation because his firm, Cromer, Barker, and Michaelson, represented the MGM Grand's insurance company, INA, Insurance Company of North America. Juggling thousands of claims, Olson ended up working with the MGM's corporate counsel in Los Angeles, a legal firm in Denver, Lloyd's of London, and a special master; renting additional office space for taking depositions; hiring graveyard-shift transcribers, and purchasing the legal world's latest technological marvel-a fax machine. As a first grader, five-year-old Jim was known to walk home during the school day whenever the St. Joseph nuns scared him. As an attorney whose career path was inspired by Perry Mason and augmented by his argumentative streak, Jim offers insights into litigation about some of Southern Nevada's most iconic buildings, signs, and spaces. In this interview, he recalls his mentors, Al Gunderson, George Cromer, Bill Barker, and Kent Michaelson. He talks of construction defect cases including his first MGM Grand litigation, in which his firm represented the architect, Martin Stern, when faulty siding fell off the building, and the 1994 lawsuits that followed when the top of the newly constructed, 365-foot Las Vegas Hilton sign blew down in a windstorm. He shares tales of legendary fellow attorney Mike Hines and his annual Nevada Bar Association parties on the Mike Hines Ranch, and he speaks to litigation between Hank Greenspun, Howard Hughes, and Hughes Tool Company.

Narrator affiliation: Budget and Logistics, Atomic Energy Commission, U.S. Department of Energy

Photos show Mandalay Bay signs during the day and at night. Two surveys were conducted to gather information about this sign. One was conducted in 2002 and one was conducted in 2017. PDFs are available for both surveys. See the 2017 survey PDF for additional information that is not included in the object description.
Site name: Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Mandalay Resort Group
Sign details: Mandalay Bay resides on the west side of the Strip, south of the Luxor. The expanse of property is surrounded with ornate foliage, jutting faux rocks, and assorted statuary accented with the flavor of an ancient island. The three-winged tower looms over the low-rise casino structure. The surface of the tower is covered with an impressive expanse of gold mirrored windows, and vertically striped with gold tubes of neon. The towers also home to the giant channel letters, which serve as the logo building text for the establishment. The ground level the property is home to two giant pylon signs at either end of the property as well. One resides on the east side of the property, while the other on the west.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia
Sign-specific description: The Mandalay Bay has little signage, but is cohesively joined together into a simple yet effective use of lighting, which fits in well with it's environment. The building itself is actually the biggest piece of signage, being vertically striped with tubing of gold neon. There is actually over three miles of neon tubing which runs up and down the surface of the tower, reflecting off of the gold, mirrored, surface of the tower. The tower itself during the day is unassuming, for the off white stucco, and mirrored surface, blend to create a harmonious surface. When dark, the building transforms into a mysterious figure clad in golden stripes. On each wing of the Y shaped tower, " Mandalay Bay" is spelled in channel letters across the top edge of the surface. These giant black pans hold incandescent bulbs, which oscillate rapidly. The two pylon signs sit flanking the building on extreme edges of the property. The two pylons are rather plain in design, but are efficient and large. They are highly integrated architecturally, being essentially two giant vertical rectangles. Two massive square legs support an upshot of space defined by two internally it color screens advertising for the "Shark Reef" and for the "House of Blues" These two are squares which sit side by sides, comprising the bottom section of the face. Above that, a large LED screen stretches up to the end of this section. The three signs are closed in on either side by a set square legs capped on the top and bottom with molding. Making up the top section of the pylon another horizontal plane rises up a bit before being topped with a series of crown moldings. Two lines of channel letters spell " Mandalay Bay" and are filled with incandescent bulbs.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Masonry
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Oscillating
Notes: The incandescent bulbs inside the channel letters which spell the text for the establishment oscillate in a pattern which makes them appear as if shimmering. This style is the most common animation next to the incandescent bulbs on the raceway.
Sign environment: The Mandalay Bay resides in exclusive company on the south end of the Strip. It stands as one of the four major establishments before Tropicana Ave. The other three include the Luxor, the Excalibur, and the Tropicana
Sign manufacturer: LED and plastic sign inside pylon were manufactured by Ad-Art
Sign - date of installation: 1999
Sign - thematic influences: The theme of the Mandalay Bay is one revolving around an island paradise, transformed into a sleek ultra modern super resort, creating a sort of independent city of steel glass, neon, lush foliage, and assorted statuary. It could best be said that it is a combination of the influences of the Tropicana, the Mirage, and Treasure Island, all mixed together as one. The pylons themselves find themselves more a kin to those displayed by the large corporate properties like the Bellagio, and the Mirage. The simple vertically oriented rectangle, plays host to LED screens and backlit color advertisements, and channel letters filled with incandescent bulbs. These elements can be seen in other large properties such as the Mirage.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Oscillating; Pylon; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Masonry; Paint; Graphics