Daytime and nighttime views of the Arco ampm sign on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 2728 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: Amid the few smaller properties that compose the area north between the Circus Circus and Sahara Boulevard, the Arco AM/PM is located on the west side of the Strip between the Guiness/Arby's parking lot to the north and the Fantasia gift shop to the south. Like many other everyday institutions located on Las Vegas Blvd, it's roadside advertisement fits into the neon picture with ease. The structure itself is nothing like the treatment of the pylon, which sits on the eastern most edge of the property, in close proximity to the street. The actual mini-mart, customer facility is located in the background, on the western end of the lot, and faces east. The standard array of fuel pumps occupy the majority of the remaining space on the lot.
Sign condition: Structure 4 Surface 4 Lighting 4 notes: The structure, surface and lighting all are around the same condition. Several neon bars have come loose at the base of one of the legs, and the neon on the north side of the pylon is not functioning properly. The surface of the sign is in good shape, in need of a thorough cleaning.
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: The pylon sign for Arco AM/PM resides on the southeastern corner of the property, near the street, sitting in a planter of rocks. It sits on the west side of the strip, and faces north/south. The basic shape of the double-backed roadside pylon is a simple design, similar to any other sign at a typical gas station. Two square posts support a cabinet wider in diameter with the lettering and logos for the property. Between the two posts are three, descending, square, internally lit, message boards, advertising the price for gas. It stands in a bed of rocks, in close proximity to the street and faces north/south. The two legs are finished in a polished, silver, reflective surface. The three internally lit, white plastic, cabinets advertise for the prices of fuel, and begin approximately six feet or so from the ground up into open space inside the legs. At this height, neon wraps the poles, creating a pattern up the sides. Tubes of white neon wrap the three outer sides of the pole, repeating every two inches or so, striping the surface. The legs actually support two smaller cabinets stacked on top of each other to create a larger surface. The two cabinets are the same in general dimensions with the top section having rounded corners. The bottom cabinet is black on the exterior with the inner face a giant white channel pan lined horizontally with tubes of white neon. Two sets pan channels are set onto this field. The first is the two letters "am" and the other being the finishing portion "pm" The "am" section is painted two-tone orange and red, and the "pm" is a two-tone purple and blue. The letters are lined on the inside edge with neon. The white field is bordered in neon as well. The top cabinet is a blue pan channel lined horizontally with blue neon. White channel spell "Arco" in the middle of the field, and four triangular shapes converge to form the diamond shaped Arco symbol.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Chasing
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: Larsen Sign
Sign - date of installation: 31758
Sign - thematic influences: The property and sign has no real thematic influence other than being an everyday facility influenced by its environment. The surroundings of abundant neon influence the sign to its treatment in order to have an impact.
Sign - artistic significance: The sign is significant artistically for it represents a piece of everyday life, dressed up to fit in on the Las Vegas Strip. The structure of a two-legged pylon so often seen at other non neon treated gas stations is the same, yet the coat of neon turns it into a unique piece of the Las Vegas strip. Other facilities seen with the same treatment are the Walgreen's, Arby's, McDonalds, and Fatburger.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Pylon; Neon; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Paint; Graphics