From the Homer Rissman Architectural Records (MS-00452). Written on the image: "Rissman and Rissman Associates 1011 Swarthmore Avenue Pacific Palisades California Gladstone 4-7519. Scale 1'-30'. Architects. Structural Engineer Harold L. Epstein 3324 Barham Blvd. Los Angeles, Calif. 90028 Hollywood 3-7121. Mechanical Engineer Ira Tepper & Associates 1147 So. Beverly Drive Los Angeles, Calif. 90035 Crestview 6-1736. Electrical Engineer J.L. Cusick & Associates 4219 Lankershim Blvd. North Hollywood, Cal. 91602 Triangle 7-6231. 3-4-67 Date. Hotel Bonanza of Las Vegas U.S. Highway #91 Las Vegas, Nevada 1st Additions. Site Plan Phase III. 2 drawing number".
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From the Homer Rissman Architectural Records (MS-00452). Written on the image: "Rissman and Rissman Associates 1011 Swarthmore Avenue Pacific Palisades California Gladstone 4-7519. Scale 1/16"-1'0". 11-21-67 Date. Bonanza Casino Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada. for Mr. Lawrence P. Wolf. General Plan. 2 drawing number". Written note: "This sheet VOID, being replaced with new plot plan showing [not legible] to North of 3 Casino extending to Flamingo Road. Railroad & parking in rear to be omitted with entrance canopy. See SH.nos 3-4-5 b or revised current plans 12/1/66".
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From the Homer Rissman Architectural Records (MS-00452). Written on the image: "Rissman and Rissman Associates 1011 Swarthmore Avenue Pacific Palisades California Gladstone 4-7519. Scale 1"-20' & Noted. Architects. Structural Engineer Socoloske, Zelner & Assoc. 14545 Friar Street Van Nuys, Califo. State 5-6821. Mechanical Engineer Ira Tepper & Associates 1147 So. Beverly Drive Los Angeles, Calif. 90035 Crestview 6-1736. Electrical Engineer J.L. Cusick & Associates 4100 N. Cahuenga Blvd. North Hollywood, Cal. 91602 Triangle 7-6231. 6-1-66 Date. Additions and Alterations Silver Slipper Casino U.S. Highway #91 Las Vegas, Nevada. Plot Plan & Unit Plan. 3 drawing number".
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From the Homer Rissman Architectural Records (MS-00452). Written on the image: "Rissman and Rissman Associates 1011 Swarthmore Avenue Pacific Palisades California Gladstone 4-7519. Scale 1/4"-1'-0". Architects. Structural Engineer Socoloske, Zelner & Assoc. 14545 Friar Street Van Nuys, Calif. State 5-6821. Mechanical Engineer Ira Tepper & Associates 1147 So. Beverly Drive Los Angeles, Calif. 90035 Crestview 6-1736. Electrical Engineer J.L. Cusick & Associates 4100 N. Cahuenga Blvd. North Hollywood, Cal. 91602 Triangle 7-6231. 3-21-67 Date. Additions and Alterations to the Silver Slipper Casino Highway #91 Las Vegas, Nevada. Alternate Elevation Restaurant Extension. 1 drawing number".
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Palace Hotel, Goldfield, Nevada, September 14, 1905. There is an inscription on the back of the image: "Palace Hotel on the corner of Main and Crook, decorated for the Railroad Days celebration. Arrival of the Goldfield Railroad was a milestone in the camp's history. Later merged with the Tonopah Railroad to form the T. & G. R.R., it was the first of 4 railroads to serve Goldfield." There is a date stamp: February 1980.
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Slide of the Thunderbird Hotel exterior and sign in the 1940s.
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The Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada sign in the 1940s.
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Information about the Aruba Hotel (Thunderbird) sign that sits at 1215 S Las Vegas Blvd.
Site name: Thunderbird Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 1215 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: 1215 Las Vegas Blvd LLC; C.F. Saticoy, LP
Sign details: The building was constructed in 1964 (Assessor). A vintage postcard from 1967 shows the Lotus Inn Motel and a Sambo's restaurant (VintageVegas.com, 2017). The hotel was renamed the Monte Carlo Inn in 1979, but reverted in the 1980's to the Lotus Inn (VintageVegas, 2017). In 1985, it became the Tally Ho (VintageVegas). Casino owner Bob Stupak renamed it the Thunderbird in 1986 or 1987 (VintageVegas). Stupak proposed building 15-story, $400 million resort hotel called the Titanic on the site, but vocal opposition from residents of the nearby John S. Park neighborhood and a trademark controversy derailed the project (Knightly, 2014). The property was renamed the Aruba Hotel in the early 2000's and became the Thunderbird in 2016 (O'Brien, 2016; VintageVegas). As of April 2017, a 15-story residential building was planned for the site (Carter, 2017).
Sign condition: Condition is 5, excellent. The lower portion of the sign is wrapped in plastic. The exposed upper portion of the sign shows the cabinet, paint and neon all in new condition. All of the neon tubes are intact and functioning.
Sign form: Blade
Sign-specific description: The lower portion of the rectangular metal cabinet is wrapped in black plastic. "THUNDERBIRD" is spelled out in white blocks and red serif letters which run vertically down both sides of the plastic wrap. The upper portion of the cabinet is exposed. The cabinet is topped by a bird shape facing the street. The bird and visible part of the rectangular cabinet are painted forest green. Both sides of the bird are covered in white, blue, pink, yellow and green skeleton neon. Underneath the bird , a horizontal yellow skeleton neon tube is visible.
Sign - type of display: Neon
Sign - media: Steel
Sign environment: Las Vegas Blvd north of the Strip. Property is surrounded by other motels and wedding chapels.
Sign - date of installation: c. 2007
Sign - thematic influences: Tropical, Caribbean and Old Vegas. The parrot on top of the sign closely resembles the symbol of the former Thunderbird hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. The property has used the Thunderbird name intermittently since the 1980's, even when it was the Aruba hotel and the word "THUNDERBIRD" appeared over an "Aruba" sign. (Vegas24Seven, 2012)
Survey - research locations: Assessor's website
Survey - research notes: Carter, J. (2017 April 27). Fights are brewing over a proposed 15-story building downtown. Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved from https://lasvegasweekly.com/intersection/2017/apr/27/fights-are- brewing-over- proposed-building- downtown/ Knightly, A. M. (2014 August 31). A history of landmarks never built. Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved from https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/a-history- of-landmarks- never-built/ O'Brien, J. (2016 January 21). Thunderbird Hotel reopening with former Arts Factory owner at helm. Retrieved from http://vegasseven.com/2016/01/21/thunderbird-hotel- reopens/ http://www.vegas24seven.com/substance-cd- release-sinicle- the-great- circuiting-mechanical- death-a- sinners-confession- at-the- aruba-hotel- saturday-june- 30th/ Vegas24Seven.com. (2012). Substance CD Release, Sinicle, The Great Circuiting, Mechanical Death, A Sinners Confession at The Aruba Hotel Saturday June 30th . Retrieved from Vintage Vegas. (2017 February 16). Archive: Lotus Inn Motel, c. 1967. Retrieved from http://vintagelasvegas.com/post/157345077754/lotus-inn- las-vegas Zeitzer, I. (2007 June 29). On The One, The Aruba Hotel " Las Vegas, NV- 6/22. Retrieved from http://www.jambands.com/reviews/shows/2007/06/29/on-the- one-the- aruba-hotel- las-vegas- nv-6-22#ixzz4rBUwxlkh
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-30
Sign keywords: Blade; Neon; Steel
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The Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada with an automobile parked out front.
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Las Vegas Oldtimers at Shamrock Hotel on Main and Bonanza, Las Vegas, NV. Left to right: 1. Bob Ball; Mrs. Delphine Squires; 3. Chas <C.P.> Squires, 4. Mary Von Tobel; 5. Ed Von Tobel; 6. Mary Lake, 7. Ada Bearden, 8. Alice Gifford, 9. Mrs. Westlake; 10. Otto Westlake, 11. Mrs. Aplin, 12. Chas. Aplin, 13. Pearl Payne, 15, 16, 17 are not identified, 18. Emily Ball Wetsern Studio, 511 South Main Street, Las Vegas, NV. Phone 2825
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