Nighttime views of the Westward Ho signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site name: Westward Ho Motel (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 2900 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: The space of the westward Ho is limited yet busy on the landscape of the strip. Approaching from the south, the property lies on the West- side of the Strip. Signage is available on the south elevation, wrapping around into the east elevation, which happens to be the front. Starting with the pylon sign a similar courtyard stretches north with its translucent vinyl awnings, until it reaches its abrupt end with the Circus Circus and Slots A Fun properties.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5
Sign form: Pylon; Porte-cochère
Sign-specific description: Approaching the Westward Ho headed north you are immediately confronted by a couple of signs. The first being giant yellow channel letters in Western style font and outlined in blue neon. The font is similar to that of the Frontier Hotel and Casino. The ends of extended appendages of the letters swell in block shapes with points jutting from the flat surface. The letters are filled with incandescent bulbs which all flash on together almost illuminating the entire parking lot in for a brief few seconds and then off again. Below that the building is horizontally striped with polished gold panels sporting three back lit signs for various resort attractions of buffets and drink specials. The building long panel is bordered on the top and the bottom by chasing incandescent bulbs on a polished raceway from left to right when facing this south elevation. The brick facade is adorned with a long backlit message cabinet with yellow painted raceways with incandescent bulbs. On either end of the backlit cabinet are two large square backlit cabinets. These two are bordered with a large steel raceway painted black. Dividing the two large raceways is a channel painted yellow. Inside the recessed channel are incandescent bulbs. The black raceways are faced each with three stripes of neon in blue, whir. The facade of signage and mirrored panels leads the eye to the obvious main pylon sign for the motel. The giant exploding pylon of gold raceways shooting upward into the sky and finally mushrooming out into umbrella formations at different elevations. The sign is comprised of five separate towers: One giant one in the center, which is the tallest, two lower ones flanking the center poles, then one smaller one on the south side of the sign and one equal size on the East side of the structure. The polished gold aluminum raceways comprise the body of the structure and are illuminated with incandescent lamps. The very base of the structure is supported with a structure of red brick masonry. The only elements of actual signage are the back-to-back color animated LED message centers, which are crowned by the 'old west' style text of various sized red neon bordered channel letters. Viewed from the side the Westward ho sign takes on a more sculptural aspect than that of signage. The reason for this is the brilliant finishing of the backs of the message centers. The rears of each panel are finely finished with brushed aluminum gold panels, which combined with the electrifying animation of the incandescent bulbs, creates a high degree of reflectivity. (Barnard) As if echoing the main pylon sign, stretching to the north is a small plaza utilizing the same three-dimensional sculpted umbrella designed awnings to create a pedestrian ready experience to the design. The umbrellas are made into coverings by the addition of illuminated vinyl. The pole structures are steel, covered with brick masonry. Each one of the umbrellas has a planter base and benches where visitors my rest or enjoy the surrounding environment. As the pylon, bulb laden, polished aluminum raceways form the skeleton of the Umbrella. Non-illuminated brass raceways stretch down from the inside and down the center pole. As well as the pylon, polished metal lacework finds its way around the circumference of the Umbrellas bottom edge. The East face of the building is mirrored to ad to the reflectivity of the entire plaza, and adding the illusion of depth to the rather limited space. The half columns and half umbrella's are set into the wall looking as if it is whole against the mirrored surface. A backlit triangular polished cabinet is of particular interest, because it is a sculpted cabinet frame. The top of the two faces is made to mimic the shapes of the pylons swelled crowns. Westward Ho is spelled in red paint.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Matrix; Ambient
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Glass; Masonry
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: The Westward Ho's unique design of an incorporated courtyard frontage, creates a small strip of closed environment between the Stardust and the Circus Circus/Slots A Fun. The space between the Stardust's property and the Westward Ho's is separated by a small parking lot, which holds claim to the giant letters which boom out casino to the passerby. With its party atmospheric, umbrella design, and mirrored backdrop the pedestrian element makes its own environment distinct to the passerby. Walking through this section gives a sense of a specific taste held in Las Vegas two decades ago, yet still evident today in almost every casino design.
Sign manufacturer: Sign Systems, Inc (pylon and courtyard) YESCO (south side signage)
Sign designer: Brian K. Leming (Pylon and Umbrella frontage)
Sign - date of installation: 1983 (Pylon and Umbrella frontage)
Sign - date of redesign/move: Original backlit plastic message center was replaced with the now existing LED matrix screen
Sign - thematic influences: The Westward Ho facility itself is a Western themed establishment but the design by Lemming reflects a more party atmosphere with its umbrella shaped overhangs and highly animated incandescent raceways. The courtyard was originally designed with a different idea fore a pylon, but the idea of the canopies was carried over into that of the design of the pylon. The over use of the theme of the polished aluminum is reminiscent of that period in Vegas history when the materials could be found virtually everywhere. Such examples included the porte cocheres at the Silverbird Hotel and Casino and the Stardust as well. This theme is still seen on virtually almost every sign. The only elements of Western imagery or style are found in the pylon sign are the font style of the lettering. As for the he building's flavor of the old west, the south wall's yellow channel letters reading "CASINO" is reminiscent of the style of font found on the pylon.
Sign - artistic significance: Besides the fact that the pylon structure stood independently in sculptural aspects as well as functional aspects, the use of materials proved to be a trend setting achievement in that period of Las Vegas. Not only did the property take extensive use materials that could maximize the ability of the lighting such as polished aluminum and mirrored paneling, it was the first to significantly employ the use of colored, translucent vinyl.(Barnard) Soon after the use of this translucent materials in signs could be seen all over the Strip on the interior and exterior of signs and buildings.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Pylon; Porte-cochère; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Matrix; Steel; Plastic; Masonry; Glass; Paint; Graphics

Daytime views of the White Sands Motel signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3889 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: Just south of the Tropicana Hotel Casino, the white Sands Motel begins the stretch of decaying properties that comprise the south end of the strip. In the parking lot outside a small low rise office, and rows of rooms the distinct pylon sign for the White Sands Motel faces north/south.
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: Two legs, in the shape of an "A" with a pole running up through the center, support a black, internally lit message center. The face of the cabinet is two sectioned with a larger portion sitting below a smaller section. The smaller top section has neither a face nor a backing. The interior parts lie exposed to the elements revealing the internal workings. Growing out of the center of the cabinet, tall thin internally lit rectangular cabinet runs into the sky approximately fifteen feet. The cabinet is designated into twelve sections by steel borders. Plastic red letters, reside inside this row of panels, horizontally spelling "White Sands" in all capital letters, with one space between the two words and one below the last word. At the very peak of the sign, a triangular shape, with a rounded top, appears to be back lit also. A smaller section sits on top of this as well. The tall cabinet, the peak, and the top antenna, are lined on the edges with raceways and incandescent bulbs. The resultant effect all of the pieces together is an image of a rocket or missile. Next to the drive on the streets edge, a small red, internally lit, message center faces north /south. The white flexible plastic face is treated with red text, and a logo for the establishment. Across the top of the cabinet "Entrance" is spelled and "Motel" across the bottom. The White sands logo is a red half circular shape with a white silhouette of palm trees, and "White Sands" across the top edge of the half circle.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The text, which resides on the southern wall and reads "Casino," is filled with incandescent bulbs that all illuminate at the same time, and oscillate. They then shut off at the same time, and then repeat. The raceways of incandescent bulbs chase each other while the neon, which surrounds the back lit, plastic, screens on this wall flash on then off. The bottom two raceways sandwiching the reflective panel chase from left to right, while the remainder of the raceways surrounding the signs, run right to left. The incandescent bulbs on the pylon chase each other gracefully up the length of the pylon. The animation is patterned so as to appear as if a section of several bulbs are pulsing its way up the towers, hugging the edge of the bulbous tops. The raceways continue around the east face of the building. The umbrellas in the plaza behind the pylon, also are animated with incandescent bulbs chasing each other downward along the raceways.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Flashing; Oscillating; Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Paint; Graphics

Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The horizontal neon bars chase each other from bottom to top, and the incandescent bulbs oscillate rapidly. The two, rosebud type figures in the rear of the property also animate in the same fashion. The incandescent bulbs in the logo text above the old porte-cochere also oscillate. The bulbs in the faceted fascia below the old porte-cochere oscillate rapidly. The two, logo/text signs on the new porte-cochere are also filled with incandescent bulbs that oscillate also. The crest item that sits on the southwest corner of the building is lined with incandescent bulbs that chase downward, down raceways, running the length of the building. The bulbs chase all the way until the end of the tracks. The logo, above the bulbous plumage, on the east face of the southernmost tower is also filled with oscillating incandescent bulbs, while the neon bars and incandescent bulbs on the plumage below the text chase upward from bottom to top.

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.