Daytime and nighttime views of the Boardwalk Holiday Inn signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3750 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: MGM Mirage
Sign details: The Boardwalk Holiday Inn is one of the most distinctive front faces which incorporate an extreme amount of signage condensed into a replica version of an eastern sea board. Since it is designed to be reminiscent of a boardwalk, the pedestrian element is a wooden planked walkway lined with shops and establishments. The area is separated from the traffic by landscaping and concrete elements. All the shop fronts designs, some false and others functioning, are all linked into the casino. The structure is encrusted with raceways and incandescent bulbs, as well as a ridiculous amount of internally lit signage that advertising everything from hotel promotions, to prices of drinks. Headed from the south, headed north, the parking garage can be seen, set back from the street slightly west, adorned with signage on it's face. The casino begins at full throttle aesthetically, with raceways lining almost every edge, contrasting tones of paint, murals, advertisements, neon and incandescence all come together. Above the first main entrance of the property, is a vibrantly lit, gold clad entrance canopy. Above that a non-functioning skeletal mass of a roller coaster comprises the majority of the southern end of the property. Neon letters are located on the vertical plane created by the rise of the tracks. The carnival style treatments of raceways and propaganda run north until the path is interrupted by the vertical pylon sign which is integrated into the architecture of the Boardwalks facade. The tracks continue above the property, all along the length interrupted by the main pylon and addressed with replica's of Ferris wheels with actual mannequins, dressed and riding inside of them. Just pas the main pylon the facade is transformed into a giant three dimensional clowns head smiling joyfully. The facade continues a short distance past the clown's head, and rounds off just as it began.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 4 Lighting 4
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia
Sign-specific description: Upon the eastern face of the parking garage signage is created upon the top edge of the outside wall. The top edge of the wall is fashioned into a sculpted entablature of signage, complete with rising crests and swooping scrolls, which match the fashion of decoration for the facade as well. On each side of the surface possess a pair of internally lit signage. One is square, and the next is rectangular, brandished with black text. The center portion of the sign is closed in with a pair of half columns which rise out of the surface of the entablature to flank the main text. These half columns are laced with an outline of an orange and yellow neon tubing. The Text is spelled in two different lines of channel letters lined with red neon on the interiors. The First line reads "Boardwalk Casino" the second line reads "Free Parking." The two lines span the length of the space provided and are separated by a sculpted dividing line. The tower just to the north of the parking garage is suited with channel letters that spell "Boardwalk' and are filled with red neon. Roller coaster: The sign which resides over the first entrance is similar that of the paring garage, for it is placed in a raceway bordered fascia. The large channel letters are placed in the center and spell " Casino." The first and last letter are the smallest in size, and gradually climb up toward the middle. They are filled with incandescent bulbs and outlined with a border of red neon. Pylon: The rest of the facade is necessary for the theme to really work, but the tallest and brightest piece is the main pylon sign. The pylon sign is essentially a triangular shape which rises straight up into the air. If a unilateral triangle, then one point is facing east with the two sides meeting at this eastern most point, being designated for the main signage. Three visible posts support the sign, glowing with the reflectivity of the gold polished underside which is striped with rows of incandescent bulbs, running perpendicular to the entrance. Three bands of pink neon wrap the two visible sides, just above the pedestrians head. Just above that there is a narrow LED message center which scrolls text, which also wraps the two sides. The majority of the sign occupies the space between this small border and the main marquee. This rectangular portion each one of the pylons sides can be broken down into four horizontal sections. The bottom two comprise the bottom 1/3 of the sign, and are internally lit advertisements ninety-nine cent offers and the Surf buffet. The middle section, being the tallest, contains a large LED message center, flanked on both sides by multi colored neon tubes crafted into the shapes of stars. The stars vary in size and spread up the small wings of the reader board with surprising fluidity. Compared to the rest of this section, the top remainder is rather plain. A plain surface is accented with a pair of words spelled in channel letters. The word hotel is spelled on the left and filled red neon. They are separated by a small, circular, channel filled with green neon. The word on the right is spelled in the same lettering except it is filled with green neon. The space above that is occupied by the main logo for the establishment. A black field supports large white channel letters that are filled with white neon. Then black field is closed in on all sides by scrollwork shapes created out of incandescence and neon. The white and yellow luminescence, takes the form of a double arched section resembling an "E" or a sideways "M" or "W." The top sweeps upward creating an arched top. A top the main array of signage there are three smoke stacks arranged in a triangular formation, with one at the very front of the edge of the sign and two flanking them in the distance. When looking at the sign directly at the face, it appears as if there are a pair for either side. Spanning the distance between the two smoke stacks is an LED reader board lined on both the top and bottom edge with blue neon. An arch of raceways lined with incandescent bulbs loops over the reader board. A large pylon is designated for the Surf Buffet as well. On the northern end of the property a tall pylon sign faces north/south, and stands lined with red neon. The vertical post supports three internally lit cabinets. The post itself, if viewed directly from the top, would be in an "X" or cross formation. Vertical bars of red neon run up the length of the pole, creating a striping effect. The three cabinets are arranged sitting one on top the other, with a small space in between each. The group all differ in size to an extent, with the two lower cabinets being similar sized, horizontal rectangles, and the top cabinet being the largest. They all have raceways lining the exterior faces with chasing incandescent bulbs. The faces are brightly illuminated colored plastic, with the main cabinet being an advertisement for the Surf Buffet. The others advertise for similar amenities.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Fiberglass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Sign environment: The environment created by the Boardwalk is an effective use of the theme on the pedestrian to create the environment. The Boardwalk is located next to a CVS Pharmacy to the south, which was erected during the course of the survey. When the pedestrian walks upon the Boardwalk, it is busy and noisy, and very attraction getting. When passing into the front side of the property, a pedestrian is assaulted with sounds and noises that are difficult not to pay attention to. This feeling created by the conglomerate of signage and utter blazing advertisement, is almost like a roller coaster. Person comes out the other side noticeably aware of the silence and darkness contrasted to the presence of the property.
Sign - thematic influences: The theme surrounding the Holiday Inn Boardwalk is that of a seaside boardwalk. Most preferably it is modeled to be representative of the eastern seaboard Coney Island. The facade therefore is most logically themed after the environment experienced on such property, amusement rides, and boisterous circus type lighting loom overhead, while wooden planks exist under the foot of the pedestrian. The walk is lined with coin-operated gadgets and games, while store fronts are found spaced between glowing advertisements. A faux Ferris wheel and roller coaster create an overhead arena of stylized representation that can best be suited as one of the more unique on the strip. It is not often that you see mock people lined up inside of a non- functioning Ferris wheel. Oddly enough, this phenomenon can be linked to couple of still existing Las Vegas Strip properties. When Caesars Palace completed its initial main pylon sign, actual life sized replicas of Centurions and Romans were placed at the base of the statue. They were painted to appear as life like as well. This is one example. The next is the living embodiment of this representation of figures, and their role as evolved on the strip as well. Madame Tussaud's wax museum can be said to be the incarnation of the use and fascination with such a medium. While the exteriors of such properties have shifted toward classic statuary, the life like figure has assumed the role of art form, as an elevated attraction in today's strip community. The noisy facade finds a place for three dimensional sculptural elements, such as the clowns face, which further adds to the "Coney Island" "Atlantic City" theming. Event though, the theme, and very nature of the construction of the Boardwalks facade are dictated by its name, it set early precedence for this interactive miniature city facade as present in many of the major player among the strip. e.g. The Paris, NY NY, Bellagio, Aladdin, etc.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Pylon; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Fiberglass; Graphics; Paint

Daytime views of the Frontier Hotel and Casino signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site name: Frontier Hotel and Casino
Site address: 3120 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Phil Ruffin
Sign details: The New Frontier Hotel and Casino sits south of the Stardust, on the east side of Las Vegas Blvd The Frontier main pylon still remains at the south end of the property, a short distance from the southeast, near the porte-cochere. A rear port e cochere also resides on the east side of the building . Like so many other properties the Frontier is composed of a low-rise building accompanied by, another higher rise structure, and a tower of rooms. A parking lot sits on the north end of the property, denoted by a small, double-sided pole sign. Two porte-cocheres adorn on the southeast and west sides of the property, as well as the famous pylon outside the eastern porte- cochere.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 4 Lighting 4
Sign form: Pylon; Porte-cochère; Fascia
Sign-specific description: A parking lot sits on the north end of the property, denoted by a small, double-sided pole sign. It is a simple rectangular cabinet, with a small steel circular cabinet on the top east edge of the sign, and a triangle on the west edge of the height, pointing west. The two are connected by a long horizontal section, which runs along the top of the cabinet. The circle, arrow, and connecting pieces are lined with incandescent bulbs. The surface if the Frontier is reserved, not holding too many exterior references to a western theme, besides the actual script of the logo, and wood paneling of the overhangs, little else is there to support the theme. Just south of the parking lot and on the west side of the strip, the Frontier is separated from the sidewalk with a large section of green lawn, and a guard of tall palm trees against the east face of the building. Tall windows occupy most of the wall separated by columns of brick. The structure continues south and juts east to create an entrance, with a text logo above the door with brass edges and a wood panel facade. The three sided entrance is two tiered flat font design, with the lower half being taller, fit with a backlit message board. The top half is shorter in height, and plays home to the polished channel letters spelling "Frontier," and filled with incandescent bulbs. The surface of the top half of the facade is a rusted brown color, referencing panels of exposed wooden construction. The bottom edge of the entire face of the sign is a protruding brass geometric edge, as well as being the device that separates the two parts of the sign. The top edge of the top section is brass treatment also, but is crafted into different forms along its path. Directly in the center of the front face, there is an arch curving over a set of vents. The two sides are treated with an pointed triangular shape. The porte-cochere is located just south, if you follow the property, pointed toward the southeast extending off of the building. The northeast and southwest sides of the porte- cochere are lined on the top and the bottom with the same protruding, square molding, rising into a long, low rising arch, peaking in the center of the sign. The center portions of the sides are the same rusted brown tone seen on the entrance mentioned earlier. Suggestions of the paneling are evident at the edges. The "Old west" font, polished channel letters spell out "Frontier" on the rust facade. Each is filled with incandescent bulbs, and outlined in neon. Most impressive about the covered area is the space occupied by the ceiling. The underside of the port-cochere is separated by four large, deep, recessed rectangles with mirrored walls. The walls slope into another smaller recessed rectangle rising straight up only a sort distance before stopping. Standing directly underneath the section, it is seen as a smaller rectangle located within a larger one. Both rectangles are lined on all edges by polished gold raceways, and incandescent bulbs. The open space is occupied by multi armed, ornate brass chandelier. Each arm is adorned with faux gas lanterns. The arms are curved in a quite extreme fashion, making the piece appear more as an organic shape, or a creature such as an octopus. The centers are adorned with decorative silver spheres. Over the doors to the casino a large backlit message center panel, curves with the radius of the face of the building. The brown and polished metal edges of the sign combined with the incorporation of the architecture of the building, gives it a reserved, streamlined look. South of here the building grows in height and becomes a series of tall windows that create the wall. Following the property around to the building's west side, another porte-cochere can be seen. An eight-sided post serves as a valet station. The facade of the roof is treated as the entrance on the east side of the building. Protruding square brass edges form borders for polished channel letters filled with incandescent bulbs. Text is contained within the southwest, southeast, and western panels. Frontier is spelled in the properties font on both the southeast, and western sides. The southwest side reads "Parking" in the company's font, but is flanked by "self" and "valet," in smaller plain white channel letters filled with neon. The western and southeastern sides are crafted with the top edge of the pediments being an arch flanked by two triangle shaped rooflines. Elements also seen elsewhere over the other entrances. Looking up, facing this porte-cochere, the tower of rooms looms high overhead. Signage is located on all four sides of the tower. The northeast and southwest sides of the tower hold giant channel letters that spell "Frontier" with the interior being a reflective orange material. The facade is a giant replication of the two sides of the southeast and western sides of the multisided porte-cochere below. A giant polished metal framework, with a rounded arch flanked by two A frame roof lines, as well as the rust colored background hold the letters. The text is filled with incandescent bulbs. Along the northwest and southeast sides of the tower "Frontier" is spelled vertically down the face of the building in the distinctive channel letters. They too are filled with incandescent bulbs and finished orange on the inside. The famed main pylon sign for the frontier still stands in good repair, as reminder of Las Vegas past. It is located in the south side of the Frontier property facing north south. The two-sided sign is essentially pair of close set steel legs joined by an arch at the top to create one continuous shape. The steel is treated in a pastel pink coloring lined on both edges with a double row of incandescent bulbs. The inner portion of the arch contains three elements. The small cabinet at the top holds the image of the Frontier "F" logo. The edge of this cabinet is painted yellow, with a white internally lit face below that a long cabinet runs the length of the remaining space to the ground. The interior of the cabinet has been cut away to form a pattern of repeated circular holes down the length of the cabinet. This portion has been painted a teal color, with the edges lined with incandescent bulbs. In the space inside of the circles a continuous string of star shapes, reminiscent of the Stardust star emblems, are crafted in yellow painted steel and laden with small incandescent bulbs. The shape is interrupted twice with the main marquee logo for the establishment as well as well as a large internally lit message center. Both portions are not solid, double faced cabinets, but four single faced cabinets. The design is also seen in the Westward HO pylon. The bottom section message center can divided into essentially six parts: four individually denoted sections for vinyl lettering, and two steel panels with an animated neon silhouette of a cowboy riding a mechanical bull. The bottom half of the cabinet is one portion of the collection of section, with a thin, one letter width portion running the length of the cabinet, separating the sign into two halves. The top half is another section flanked by the two steel panels containing the bull rider. The middle portion contains crafted red vinyl logo the "Gilley's" establishment. A thin, one letter space cabinet, emerges out of the top of the sign, running a bit shorter than the length of the cabinet. The panel with the rider is actually three separate images, crafted with gold neon stacked on top of another in different positions to allow the three-stage animation process of the rider to be realized. Fashioned out of red neon text is written in the same text as the Frontier wall logo's above and below the rider. The word "Ride" sits above and the phrase "The Bull" is below the rider. He entire width edge of both the North and South sides are encrusted with yellow incandescent bulbs. While the bottom half of the pylon is dominated by the message center, a bit further up on the structure is the main marquee logo. The green steel cabinet is a rectangular with added elements of shape and design. The ends of the plane are slightly curved back into space, with the actual surface of the shape rising into a small pointed crest in the center. Across the surface of the cabinet the word "Frontier" is spelled in the "Western Font" in channel letters. The letters are outlined in neon and filled with incandescent bulbs. The surface of the cabinet is striped horizontally with tubes of red neon.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The incandescent bulbs inside the text reading "Paris" on the balloon oscillate rapidly.
Sign environment: Sitting north of the Fashion Show Mall and, south of the Stardust, the Frontier seems to create its own environment upon an expansive property. The expansive sidewalks, healthy landscaping, and clean, reserved faced, make the Frontier more akin to the larger corporate establishments such as the Mirage, or Monte Carlo. It is quite the dominant presence on the west side of the street, for the east side is the vacant lot where the Desert Inn used to reside. The Frontier stands clean and strong amongst the chaos of the Fashion Show construction, and the empty lot across the street.
Sign manufacturer: Ad-art (Pylon), Sign Systems, Inc (facade and porte-cochere)
Sign designer: Bill Clarke (Pylon) Brian K. Leming (facade and porte-cochere)
Sign - date of installation: pylon: 1967 porte-cochere and facade 1981
Sign - date of redesign/move: The face of the Frontier was remodeled in an effort to keep up with the larger corporate casinos in 1998, but retained the main pylon, tower signage, porte-cochere signage and various entrance signs.
Sign - thematic influences: The obvious theme of the hotel is a Western, cowboy/pioneer themed establishment. The facade of the structure was at one time engulfed in the theme, but has slowly over time changed to compete and fit in with the ever-changing Las Vegas strip. Vestiges of the Western theme are present in the remaining elements of the porte-cochere, side entrances, the tower fascia and roofline, as well as all the text, including the main pylon. Other establishments that carry the much popular theme throughout Las Vegas history, include the Westward Ho, The Golden Nugget, The Bonanza, Hotel Apache, the Boulder Club, and the Pioneer Club.
Sign - artistic significance: In 1967, the Frontier sign was considered the tallest sign on the Strip. The 24 x 84 foot signature panel proved to be one of the largest at the time as well. Charles Barnard's scale model displayed at the Montreal Expo and his design of the seventeen-foot tall logo cabinet, were instrumental in Ad-Art landing the contract for the establishment. (Barnard) The cabinet and center scalloping used to incorporate animatronics, turning in concert.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Pylon; Porte-cochère; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Graphics; Paint