Nighttime views of the Las Vegas Helicopter Tours signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3712 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: The establishment rests in a lot on the western side of the strip adjacent to the airfield, which is utilized for takeoff and landing of the aircraft. The Las Vegas Helicopter facility is also adjacent to and shares a building with a souvenir shop.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5
Sign form: Fascia
Sign-specific description: The Las Vegas Helicopter tours facility possesses a quite elaborate wall sign which wraps the fascia of the building. The face of the building looks east. The eastern face is an entablature bordered in with polished gold aluminum raceway lined with incandescent bulbs. In the center of the eastern face of the narrow border transforms into a rectangular face, which juts upward. A giant pan channel representing the American flag occupies the space in the section. The horizontal red and white stripes are painted channels, and the blue field in the upper left- hand corner is a channel itself. The horizontal channels are lined with tubes of neon in a corresponding color. The blue field is bordered in blue neon, with incandescent bulbs in the center of graphically painted stars. The entire flag is bordered in red neon. The entablature below which runs along the entire face of the building plays home to several phrases of different text and designs. The center portion is taken up by a phrase "Las Vegas Helicopters," in black channel letters painted red on the interior. The exterior edge is lined with a border of red neon. The text is also filled with incandescent bulbs. To the left of the main title, smaller black, channel letters filled incandescent bulbs read, "Nightly Strip Rides" in all caps. The raceway deviated from the straight form underneath the secondary text, next to the primary title. On the bottom edge beneath the phrase, the raceway turns into an arrow pointing downward. The incandescent bulbs are still present along this deviation.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Glass
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 manufacturer: Sign Systems, Inc
Sign - date of installation: 1996
Sign - thematic influences: There is no real present theme evident in the appearance other than the Emblem of the American flag crafted in neon on the front of the building. The incandescent bulb lined raceways and bulb filled channel letters, placed within a pediment hanging above the pedestrians head, posses a theme in a sense. It is a common occurrence to see such a combination of lighting among the strip to designate an establishment so its theme cold be considered to be that of Las Vegas. It's artistic significance can only be linked to such a trait. It is one of the most unique properties considering its function. Yes there are many facilities which offer tours but, this is the only one which provides helicopter tours that the pedestrian may watch take off. It is also one of the only establishments where the American flag is represented on the exterior in neon. It is also one of the only establishments where the incandescent bulb lined raceway is shaped into arrows. An interesting use of the most common adornment of exterior surveyed signage.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Glass; Graphics; Paint

Daytime views of the Villa Roma Motel sign on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 220 Convention Center Dr
Sign details: Just west of the Somerset is the Villa Roma Motel. The only significant signage is located in the pylon side on the edge of the street. The pylon resides on the north side of Convention Center drive with the property facing east/west.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 4 Lighting 4
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: Just west of the Somerset is the Villa Roma Motel. The pylon resides on the north side of the street with the property facing east/west. The sign consists of a tall white steel pole supporting two double backed cabinets, along with decorative raceways, as well as a logo cabinet. About halfway up the pole, an internally lit, double backed, cabinet cantilevers off of the south side of the pole, facing east/west also. The top of the sign is two horizontal rectangular cabinets, sitting one on top of the other, in close proximity to each other. The cabinets possess aspects of design which add a bit of flavor to plain geometric shape. The faces of the cabinet themselves are concave, bowing in along the length. The maroon surface is also fluted vertically, dividing the surface up into a pattern of vertical rectangles. Along the width of each one of the cabinets, smaller black cabinets run vertically along the edge. These cabinets are adorned with maroon graphically painted scroll work. Channel letters spell the name of the establishment on the two cabinets. The thinner, top cabinet possesses the channel letter text spelling, "Villa Roma," painted white on the interiors. The bottom cabinet's surface contains the text "Motel" in larger all capital channel letter. The interiors of both of both sets of letters are filled with neon. Attached to the bottom of the cabinet, an oval shaped cabinet resides on the north side of the cabinet. It is treated with same maroon color paint ,but the face is adorned with "vacancy" painted on the surface. "No" is spelled in neon as well as being vacancy being overlayed with neon as well. Two pairs of maroon raceways shoot out of the top of either side of the cabinet into the air, then arch inward, meeting at a common point in the center. The spot where each one of the raceway meets, a pseudo oval shaped, internally lit, double backed cabinet professes the logo for the Villa Roma Motel. The logo consists of A capital letter "V" sitting over a Letter "R" in red paint. The raceways also protrudes through the bottom of the cabinet on either side, for a short distance. The edges of the raceways are lined with incandescent bulbs.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The text letters on the porte-cochere and entrances hold a three step animation: The incandescent bulbs all oscillate rapidly inside the letters, then steady burn on, and finally come to rest in the off position. The sequence then repeats. The main pylon sign carries several different sections which all hold different animation patterns. Inside the middle sculptural piece, the incandescent bulbs, which encrust the star shapes, oscillate in a twinkling fashion. The bulbs which border the outlying portion of the middle section chase each other, with the inner row running downward, and the outer row chasing upward. The double rows of incandescent bulbs that create the outer border, also chase each other in a similar fashion. The outer-most lane, of the double rowed bulbs, animate chasing downward, while the inner is treated with chasing animation, which chases upward. The bulbs, which encrust the bottom of the main marquee oscillate, as well as the bulbs on the widths edge of the main message center. The incandescent bulbs, which fill the text in the main marquee of the pylon, oscillate rapidly while the vertical red bars of neon, animate behind them. They star in the middle and chase out to either side illuminating all of the bars, then chase back to the center leaving them dark. They then start all illuminated, and curtain open to either side, then animates, chasing each other from either side back to the middle again. Once all illuminated, they flash off, on, off, on, then off. The marquee seems to be the one with a set sequence. On the main message board, the golden image of the cowboy animates in three stages, rocking back and forth, as if riding the bull. The letters, which adorn the tower of the building, animate in sequence. The incandescent bulbs in each letter light up individually one at a time from left to right, then once all are illuminated, they each oscillate one at a time, from left to right. They then light up continuously from left to right again one at a time, and then turn off. The letters, which run vertically on the northwest side of the tower, also have the same sequence.
Sign environment: The Villa Roma's area is interesting in itself. Convention Center Drive runs east west between the Strip and paradise road, and is home to a unique mix of signage and structures of close but not identical functions. It plays home to the Greek Isles, a bank building, dry cleaners, the Royal Casino, a giant parking lot for the Las Vegas Hilton, as well as the dying Silver Saddle. It stands as a reminder of a roadside motel that is still present, within the heart of an evolving Strip.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Plastic

The Hialeah Motel sign sits at 1924 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 1924 Fremont St
Sign owner: La Jolla Development Group, LLC
Sign details: The current building was constructed in 1951 (Assessor). One source states that Tinkler's Motel may have been open on the site in the 1940's (VintageVegas.com, n.d.). A vintage postcard circa late 1940's-early 1950's advertises "Tinkler's Motel Hialeah", although the sign shown in the photograph states" Tinkler's Motel" (CardCow.com, n.d.). A vintage postcard circa 1950's-early 1960's shows the current name,"Hialeah Motel" (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.).
Sign condition: Condition is 3, fair. The cabinets are intact with no major rust damage. On the east side of the sign, the paint is flaking moderately on the upper arrow cabinet. On the west side, the paint is flaking severely on the upper arrow cabinet as well as the lower cabinet. Most of the incandescent light bulbs around the upper cabinet remain. All of the neon tubes are gone from both the lower and upper cabinets.
Sign form: Pole sign
Sign-specific description: The lower cabinet is shaped like three rectangles stacked upward in increasing size. The pole runs through the cabinet, which is cantilevered toward the street. The upper cabinet is shaped like an arrow pointed at the motel. The pole and lower cabinet are painted forest green. On the lower cabinet, hand painted sans serif letters state, "Hialeah 1924 VACANCY". The exterior of the upper arrow-shaped cabinet is painted black. The interior is white. The cabinet is channeled and holes for neon tubing are evident, but no neon remains. Yellow incandescent light bulbs outline the exterior of the cabinet. At the center of the pole on the hotel side is a horizontal pole from which a small sign may have hung previously.
Sign - type of display: Incandescent light bulbs, but the sign also had neon tubing at one time.
Sign - media: Steel
Sign - non-neon treatments: Incandescent light bulbs
Sign environment: This is located on East Fremont and has many other motels surrounding it though many of the neighboring motels are shut down.
Sign - date of installation: Possibly 1940's, likely circa 1950's-1960's
Sign - date of redesign/move: A vintage postcard circa late 1940's-early 1950's (CardCow.com, n.d.) shows a small sign which has either been replaced or modified over time. The sign consists of three cabinets mounted symmetrically on a pole. The lower cabinet is painted white and states, "AIR CONDITIONED" or "AIR CONDITIONER". The large central cabinet is black and states, "MOTEL". The smaller upper cabinet is painted black and advertises, "Tinkler's". A vintage postcard circa 1950's-early 1960's (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.). shows the current pole and cantilevered lower cabinet without the upper arrow-shaped cabinet. On the lower hotel side of the sign hangs a small yellow sign. Some or all of the lettering is traced with neon letters. By the late 1980's, the motel arrow had been added (VintageLasVegas.com, 2017). "MOTEL" is spelled out in red neon inside the channel of the arrow. The lower cabinet is painted green. "T.V." is spelled in black sans serif letters outlined in white. "Hialeah" is painted in white sans serif letters traced by clear neon letters. Below Hialeah is illegible clear neon, possibly "AIR CONDITIONING" or "AIR CONDITIONER". At the bottom of the lower cabinet "HAMBURGERS", "HOT DOGS" and "VACANCY" are spelled out in white san serif letters. A photograph taken sometime between the 1980's and 2008 (Jacobson, n.d.) shows the lettering on the lower cabinet simplified to the current design, except "T.V." is still painted to the left of "HIALEAH". Three yellow skeleton neon waves underline "T.V." and two more indistinguishable neon tubes of the same type sit over the "T". Some neon around "HIALEAH"in the lower cabinet and all of the neon around "MOTEL"in the upper arrow-shaped cabinet remain. By 2008, the sign had reached its current design (Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.).
Sign - thematic influences: Horseracing (the motel name references Hialeah Park Racetrack in Hialeah, Florida; vintage postcard shows grass and racetrack type fencing [Las Vegas motels then and now, n.d.])
Sign - artistic significance: This location maintains the Horse Racing theme with their name. They also showcase 1940's (possibly), 1950's-1960's eras themes with emergence and prominence of the motor courts during those eras.
Survey - research locations: CardCow.com. (n.d.). Tinler's [sic] Motel Hialeah. Retrieved from https://www.cardcow.com/281785/tinlers-motel-hialeah-las-vegas-nevada/ Clark County Assessor, parcel no. 139-35-803-004. Retrieved from http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/assessor/Pages/PropertyRecords.aspx?H=redrock&P=assrrealprop/pcl.aspx Jacobson, J. (n.d.). Hialeah Motel [private image, copyright applies]. Retrieved from http://www.pbase.com/easystreet/image/103828763 Las Vegas motels then and now. (n.d.). 15: Hialeah Motel. Retrieved from http://stefanidrivesvegas.com/2.html VintageLasVegas.com. (n.d.). Downtown Las Vegas hotels & casinos 1931-2000. Retrieved from http://vintagelasvegas.com/downtown VintageLasVegas.com. (2017 February 2). Hialeah Motel. Retrieved from http://vintagelasvegas.com/tagged/Hialeah-Motel
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-23
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Pole sign; Directional