Daytime and nighttime views of the Gameworks' signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3785 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: Game Works is located on the underground level of The Showcase Plaza, which is also home to such establishments as M&M World and the Show case theatres. Two small gateway pylons for the Game Works center, stand on other side of staircases that lead to the underground facility. Just east of there a large wall front design hands approximately nine feet above the ground on the structure of the mall.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 4 Lighting 5
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia
Sign-specific description: The large wall marquee that reads GAMEWORKS in all capitals, utilizes deep, yellow, steel, channel letters painted black on the exteriors. The slightly arched sign is on the West wall of the building, facing West from the East side of the strip. The interior of the text contains double rows of yellow neon. The cabinet, which the words sit upon, is a black steel cabinet shadowing the individual letters in one cabinet. The backing cabinet itself is illuminated from its interior, with middle section of the width of the cabinet is made of a steel grating. This function allows the blue neon on the inside to cast a blue glowing halo seen from the exterior. Sitting on top of the right hand side of the marquee are two steel boxes manufactured into the shape of a male and female figure dashing to the end of the sign. These figures are made of black steel box like formations while retaining a cartoon-ish silhouette. Their posture suggests motion or running. These figures are constructed in the same fashion as the black cabinet, which the text is supported upon. They too are glowing with the blue interior neon halo. In front of the large wall sign are the two, single sided, gateway pylons. They serve as markers for the stairs that lead the underground facility. They sit on either end of the large channel cut into the sidewalk. One faces South on the South entrance, and one faces North at the North end. The signage is actually a smaller replica of the large building front logo. The same interior lit cabinet supports the same design of yellow channel letters, with the backing "shadow" cabinet. A difference between the larger and smaller cabinets is that the cabinets are surfaced with the grated material. The only difference in the channel letters besides their obvious discrepancy in size, is that single rows of neon comprise the interior of the channel letters. On either side of the sign, two, "space age" themed posts provide support. They are topped with a sculpted cylindrical fashion capital. The bases for which they are attached to the concrete with, are blue in color. The actual shaft of the pole is made of several smaller pipes, with a plastic cylindrical tube in the center. Inside this tube is a string of attached incandescent bulbs running vertically. Below the text, suspended with two rods, is an oval shaped, aluminum cabinet. In the face of the cabinet there are the words "cafe" and "lounge" painted in blue. Over the painted text is blue neon. From both sides of the sign, the blue neon scrawl is visible Separating the two words is a black circle with a red neon rectangular shape in the center. The ends of the cabinet are made small circular cabinets approximately seven inches in diameter.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Fiberglass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Paint
Sign animation: none
Sign environment: The Game Works facility is located directly across the street from the pedestrian "Brooklyn Bridge" element of the New York New York and sit is the shadow of the MGM super pylon. The vibrant yellow of the sign do stand out as distinct among the tremendous and attractive signage of the Showcase plaza. The large channel cut into the sidewalk, along with its large surrounding counterparts, makes the entrance reminiscent of that of a subway. The plaza itself is self-contained and while standing along the front a person is enveloped in the plaza without being distracted by the rest of the strip itself. The large signage looms over a pedestrian while walking by, or shouts at you while sitting along the shrub filled flowerbeds.
Sign - thematic influences: The actual theme of the sign is correspondent to that of the business, which the sign advertises. The property is an interactive gaming facility and lounge. The use of the glow of a monitor or computer screen. The polished aluminum poles supporting the gateways are reminiscent of the futuristic, or "space-age" theming associated with the classic representations of science fiction in movies and television throughout the twentieth century. Such examples of this classic representations may be seen in television programs from the past like "Lost in Space," or even literary descriptions in Orson Well's "War of The Worlds" of Ray Bradbury's "Martian Chronicles" The combination of materials along with the innovative use of lighting also suggests electricity and digital elements which associate with the function of the facility.
Sign - artistic significance: If not significant for simply combining different elements to create a completely self-contained sign, it fits into the movement in Las Vegas's history , which is geared more toward the family. Not only the space that it occupies, but also the function itself in intended to attract young people if not children into it domain. It is an obvious standout for the vote to make Las Vegas move toward a more family oriented town. Aesthetically the signage is modern innovation on a classic design.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Fiberglass; Paint

Daytime views of the Ginseng BBQ signs on the Strip. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 3765 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: Down the driveway created between the Fatburger and Walgreen's structure is a slightly larger lot, which is home to the Ginseng BBQ establishment. The signage is a gateway, banner structure which leads to this slightly larger lot. It is visible standing directly in front of the Fatburger sign, looking east down the alley.
Sign condition: Structure 3 Surface 3 Lighting 3
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: Attached to the section of the Fatburger building which houses the entrance to the Alan Albert's, and stretches across to the building which houses Walgreen's is a sign which is comprised of a horizontal overhead structure of steel beams, forming a lattice work or skeleton of an entrance. The top and bottom edges are white raceways with incandescent bulbs. Placed awkwardly along the bottom portion of the skeleton is a border of gold polished raceways with incandescent bulbs. There is no backing to the border, so it is simply an edge and nothing more inside this border consisting of the structure of the sign. The top and bottom edges of the structure are lined with incandescent bulbs. "Ginseng BBQ" is spelled in gold channel letters painted white on the inside, with red neon in the interior. The letters are all caps and centered inside the border. The sign faces west. The actual establishment is further east. through the gateway where a slightly larger lot is located, on the north face of the Walgreens side of the complex.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel
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.
Sign environment: The environment which the Ginseng BBQ's establishment shares is dictated by its neighbors of Walgreen's and Fatburger. The small enclosure of a lot, which is in front of the store, follows after passing underneath the main logo text banner for the restaurant. It is hidden among the various neighboring businesses, being protected by the larger structure in front of it.
Sign manufacturer: Vision Sign
Sign - thematic influences: No real theme surrounds the signage other than it appears that it was pieced together from various other pieces of signage. The white, steel skeleton appears as if it was there previously, and the Ginseng sign was attached later. The theme that it does fit into is the small eateries which pop up among the strip malls and small shopping centers along the strip. It is also one of two different Ginseng BBQ establishment.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Chasing; Pylon; Neon; Incandescent; Steel

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.