The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino signs sit at 1 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Sheet.
Site address: 1 Fremont St
Sign owner: Derek and Greg Stevens
Sign details: This location originally held the Hotel Nevada that opened in 1906. This location had the first phone that was installed in Las Vegas in 1907. The building dates back to 1935, but in 1990 Mark and Craig Italo restored the exterior of the building to reflect the original art deco look to the building. This property was named Sal Sagev (Las Vegas spelled backwards) before it changed to the Golden Gate in 1955. This location was made famous with their bargain shrimp cocktail. This location has exhibits near their check-in desk showcasing older casino memorabilia, old slot machines, as well as an old phone.
Sign condition: 5- still shines brightly and paint is holding up very well
Sign form: Blade and semi-decorated shed
Sign-specific description: Their blade sign is on the corner of Main and Fremont on the top of the blade is a spherical yellow light with two neon 3-D diagonal oval shapes beneath it the with the top one blue and the bottom one a fuchsia pink. The main portion of the blade is made up by sideways rusty colored squares spelling out "GOLDEN GATE" in block letters (one letter in each box) each containing flashing incandescent light bulbs. Beneath this is a rusty colored rectangular box that spells out "CASINO" in the interior with white neon letters with the box outlined in sparkling incandescent light bulbs. Underneath the rectangle is a rusty colored circle with white block letters spelling out "HOTEL" in neon, and underneath the words is a red skeletal neon outline of the Golden Gate Bridge. On the corner of the building right underneath the blade is is a rectangle sign with red neon spelling out "CASINO". There are chasing incandescent light bulbs surrounding the first second story of the building with the words "GOLDEN GATE" in channeled white neon letters that are outlined with blue neon and have sparkling incandescent light bulbs at night, and are both on the west and north side of the building. Also there are the words "RESTAURANT" as well as "CASINO" both in flashing incandescent light bulbs on both sides of the building as well. There are also LED lights that illuminate the building's windows at night time.
Sign - type of display: Neon, Incandescent light bulbs and LED
Sign - media: Steel
Sign - non-neon treatments: Incandescent light bulbs on signs and LED lights illuminating the building
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing
Notes: incandescent light bulbs
Sign environment: This location is on the corner of Main and Fremont which is the entrance to the Fremont Street Experience. There is also a concert stage in front of this property. Across the street would have been the Las Vegas Club, the Glitter Gulch and Mermaids; but have been demolished in recent times.
Sign - date of installation: 1964
Sign - date of redesign/move: When the sign was installed in 1964 the bottom circle of the blade stated "HOTEL SAL SAGEV" but now there is the Golden Gate bridge, so it must have switched when the Sal Sagev name was not affiliated with that location anymore.
Sign - artistic significance: This blade looks similar to the old Sal Sagev sign that was up on this building previous to this sign. The blade also was a prominent theme for signs in the 50's and 60's especially down on Fremont.
Survey - research locations: Assessor's Page, Tour outline, Golden Gate website for history http://www.goldengatecasino.com/history/#
Survey - research notes: http://www.goldengatecasino.com/history/# has a good timeline of the history of the casino as well as some good Vegas history notes as well.
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-22
Sign keywords: Neon; Incandescent; Chasing; Flashing; Decorated shed; Steel; Pole sign