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Photographs of Greek Isles signs, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2002
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Site address: 305 Convention Center Dr
Sign owner: Mark IV Realty
Sign details: The property which is at the eastern end of Convention Center Dr., is one tower at the east end of the property, and is attached to a low-rise structure which reaches westward along the east side of Convention Center drive. Various signs adorn the facade of the Greek Isles including a small pylon sign, a porte- cochere and two wall/logo signs. The stucco surface of the front of the building is painted with images of rustic Mediterranean cottages, as well as the rising or setting sun image seen on the pylon as well.
Sign condition: Structure 5 Surface 5 Lighting 5 Notes: The signage for the Greek Isles is essentially brand new, with exception to the porte-cochere. The Porte cochere was left over from the previous establishment with a bit of standard upkeep.
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère
Sign-specific description: At the east end of Convention center Blvd The Greek Isles casino resides at the old site of establishments such as The Paddlewheel, and The Debbie Reynolds Hotel Casino. The signage consists a pylon sign, a porte- cochere and two wall signs. Located on the south side of the street, the signage is located in relatively small span of space along the north face of the establishment. At the western most end of the property, a section of the low rise structure radiuses outward creating a giant white, convex stucco canvass. A golden sunset has been painted on the entire surface of this rounded wall. A bright white round section represents it with the color blending from an intense yellow into a burnt orange on the top edge of the building. At the top of the wall along the surface, "Greek Isles is spelled in shallow blue channel letters, with each letter set upon a white cabinet which mimics the shape of the font. Incandescent bulbs fill each channel letter, surrounded by a border of blue neon. The text is very angular, also mimicking ancient Greek text and the text utilized in Caesar's Palace. Just below the text on the surface of the wall. A wall sign in the shape of a rectangle with scrolls on the either sides. The resultant effect is a two-dimension representation of an Ionic top of a column. The outer edge of the sign including the spiraling scrolls on either side is created with a narrow blue channel. Tubes of blue neon line the interior of this channel. The open rectangular space left in the banner of the sign reads "Hotel &Casino," in red channel letters, lined with red neon on the interiors. Further east on the surface of the building, the white stucco is treated with a mural of broken tile overhangs and open shutters. Column, and corbels are other elements represented in the mural of a Greek village. Another sign is located on the wall between the western most sign and the central Porte cochere. This sign is two parts. Pair of concrete columns support a cabinet, crafted in the same fashion as the secondary portion of the previously mentioned sign. The details of the scroll are created by gold raceways lined with incandescent bulbs. Painted in red , all capital, letters, the text "Restaurant &Lounge Show," lies horizontally across the white surface. Neon is crafted over the tops of the letters. Sitting on top of the cabinet is another set of channel letters. The shallow blue letters are filled with incandescent bulbs. The shadowing cabinet, behind the letters is painted gold. Blue neon borders each one of the letters. On either side of the text, three slightly arched rods angle out of the body of the faux scrolled cabinet. The rods are lined on the surface with one single tube of blue neon. A pair of gold, polished, doors lie underneath the sign between the columns. The main entrance of the building is underneath the porte-cochere, continuing east along the property. The surface of the awning is illuminated with lengthy backlit cabinets, lined on the top and the bottom with gold raceways lined with incandescent bulbs. Blue tubes of neon line the top and the bottom edges of the surface of the cabinet. The underside of the awning is divided in clear plastic covered recessed cubes, forming a grid over the surface. The interiors of the cubes are mirrored, and sloped to a point in the negative shape of a pyramid. The centers are adorned with incandescent bulbs. The borders that periodically broken up with polished, reflective panels of a bronze hue. The property continues east still, until a north/south drive separates the building from the pylon sign for the establishment. A pair of white painted steel poles are capped with a white cabinet, sculpted itself to add elements to the poles themselves. The left and right bottom edges of the cabinet are crafted to look lime the scrolled column capital, represented in the two logo wall signs on the east surface. The scrolls are created with blue paint, n the white surface, as well as the address painted in the center. The combination of the sculpted cabinet and supporting poles create a solid base for a giant black cabinet which housed a color LED message center. Atop the cabinet, another horizontal cabinet sits wider in length than the LED cabinet. The cabinet is crafted like the two wall signs as well, with bulbous radius ends, adorned on the surface and edges with the channel raceways creating the scroll shape. This channel is lined with blue neon. All capital, red channel letters, filled with red neon, reads "Hotel & Casino." A top this cabinet another sculpted cabinet hold the main logo text of the sign. The sign is crafted as a half circle, creating a cabinet with the entire outer edge being a single radius. The surface of the sign is painted in the same fashion the sunset mural on the east end of the building. The sign starts as a dark orange at the bottom and fades to a yellow at the top. The edge of the radius is interrupted by the main text. "Greek Isles" is spelled in the same fashion as all the other signs. The mimicking backing cabinets for the letters are painted white as well. The outer edge is also lined with gold polished raceways , and incandescent bulbs. The width of the sign from the LED cabinet on up is painted black
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent
Sign - media: Steel
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: none
Sign environment: The Greek Isles is on the unique street line of Convention Center drive. To the east there is a nightclub, a chain motel, The Las Vegas Hilton, and the transplanted Riviera pylon. To the west, on that side of the street, is a bank complex and the Casino Royal. Across the street the vast expanse of the Hilton Convention Centers parking lot, makes the Greek Isles seem much larger for it's relatively small set of signage.
Sign manufacturer: YESCO
Sign - date of installation: 2000
Sign - date of redesign/move: The Greek Isles signage is the same since its initial installation, but replaces other vestiges of the previous properties, most recently the Debbie Reynolds Hotel and Casino.
Sign - thematic influences: The theme of the property is quite evident in its name as well as in its facade. The exterior is made to appear with elements of a rustic Greek village utilizing a white stucco finish treated with mural designs of wooden shutters and other village amenities. On western end of the property, the large round, surface of the wall is treated with graphic paint representative to a rising or setting sun. This element also adds to the apparent ambiance of the serene village. The text for the property is crafted in the generalized angular style of the ancient Greek text, not that much dissimilar to the Caesar's Palace logo text. In fact they are almost identical in fashion.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Fascia; Porte-cochère; Neon; Incandescent; Steel; Graphics; Paint
Mixed Content
Transcript of interview with Deanna Stefanelli by Claytee White, May 3, 2010
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Deanna Stefanelli and her family moved to Las Vegas when her husband John Stefanelli accepted a position as a professor in Food and Beverage at UNLV. She took a part-time job in the admin office of the university's library in 1981. It was also an ideal time for her to return to college to finish her degree. Eventually she became full-time and enjoyed the growth and change of UNLV and the library. Deanna recalls the physical and personnel changes of the library. She describes some of the fun activities that kept them a close work community—from the Friends of the Library to book sales and pancake breakfasts, to a newsletter and learning to make sushi with Myoung-ja Kwon.
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Elizabeth von Till and Claude N. Warren Professional Papers
Identifier
Abstract
The Elizabeth von Till and Claude N. Warren Professional Papers (1916-2021) are comprised of the personal and professional papers of anthropologist Claude N. Warren and historical preservationist Elizabth von Till Warren. The materials in this collection primarily consist of research files, maps, and drawings on various archaeological and historical preservation projects in southern Nevada of which they both were involved. This collection includes field notes and surveys from archaeological projects such as the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort and the Las Vegas Springs Preserve. Records on von Till Warren's involvement with the Old Spanish Trail Association, Southern Nevada Historical Society, and historic preservation work around southern Nevada are represented. Also included are Robert H. Crabtree's archaeological research files, a colleague of Claude Warren who bequeathed his professional files to him upon his death.
Archival Collection
Interview with Robert Elmer Friedrichs, February 25, 2005
Date
Archival Collection
Description
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Transcript of interview with Liliam Lujan Hickey by Layne Karafantis, March 18, 2010, & March 25, 2010
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Liliam Lujan Hickey is best known in the state of Nevada for being the first Hispanic woman elected to the State Board of Education as well as for the enormous contributions she made while serving from 1998 to 2000. For this, an elementary school in Clark County bears her name. Despite many obstacles, Liliam has continually dedicated herself to standing up for the causes she believes in, such as providing preschool education to the underprivileged, preparing youth to enter the workforce, helping other Hispanics run for office, and proving that with enough courage anyone can accomplish their dreams. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1932, Liliam led a sheltered life that revolved mostly around her studies at a French Dominican school. She met her first husband, Enrique Lujan, when she was only sixteen and they wed soon after. Enrique was twelve years her senior, owned many casinos on the island, and provided a luxurious existence for Liliam and their three children. However, this lifestyle abruptly changed when Castro assumed power in 1959 and Liliam and her family were compelled to relocate to the United States. In Miami, Enrique assisted other refugees financially, hoping that his wealth would remain secure in Cuba. He was wrong. This left the family destitute. In addition to casinos, Enrique had been Cuba?s coach for the Olympics. He moved the family to York, Pennsylvania, where he hoped to find work at the York Barbell Company. Liliam, who had been accustomed to having maids and nannies in Cuba, found herself doing all the housework while she also worked in a factory. The change could not have been more dramatic and the living conditions became unbearable. The family chose to move to San Diego in a Volkswagen Minivan with the hope for a better life. The next few years brought many transitions. Things did turn around in San Diego, and Liliam she recalls her years in southern California as some of the happiest of her life. Liliam found a job working at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla. After a few years, Enrique found a job in Las Vegas and the family moved again. In Las Vegas, Liliam gave birth to her fourth child, Mary, and life once again became financially difficult for the family. In 1972, the situation grew worse with Enrique?s untimely death. Liliam was a widow at forty years of age. She had to teach herself how to drive a car, write checks, and perform financial tasks that Enrique had insisted on managing while he was alive. Determined not to give up, however, she worked tirelessly to keep the family together. Amidst all this, a friend introduced Liliam to Tom Hickey, and after a brief courtship they were married in 1981. Within a few years, Liliam became active in politics, running for the State Board of Education. Her campaign manager advised her that voters would not be receptive to photos of a Hispanic woman on billboards, and to capitalize on the name “Hickey,” which was a recognizable name because her husband was an assemblyman. She took the manager?s advice and was elected in that campaign and for two more terms, the maximum limit for the office. After the first race, she proudly displayed her face on billboards across the state. During her time at the State Board of Education, Liliam dedicated herself to helping all children receive a better education in Nevada, not only Hispanics. She co-founded the Classroom on Wheels [COW] program, which brought buses to poor neighborhoods to provide pre-school education. She established Career Day, which pairs high schools students with business professionals in an effort to help them make the transition into the workforce. While the COW program is no longer running, 8 Career Day still operates and awards scholarships in Liliam?s name annually, which helps youth receive the educational opportunities they need to succeed. And she involved Hispanic youth in Boy Scouts by bringing ScoutReach to the Las Vegas valley. Lujan Hickey worked in a wide array of other community organizations. In the 1970s, she began to work with Circulo Cubano, which later became the Latin Chamber of Commerce, and she would later belong to the National Chamber of Commerce. A longstanding member of the League of Women Voters, Liliam saw the need to get Hispanics more involved in politics in the state. Her story is one of great inspiration, and when asked why she does it, she simply replies with a smile, “I love life.” Hickey?s narrative offers the reader a glimpse of the experiences of the Cuban refugee experience in the U.S. in general. Specific to Las Vegas, it provides a rare story of the experiences of early Latinas in the political and economic development of Las Vegas in the last half of the twentieth century.
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"A Dream Fulfilled" speech by Roosevelt Fitzgerald
Date
Archival Collection
Description
From the Roosevelt Fitzgerald Professional Papers (MS-01082) -- Unpublished manuscripts file. Speech for 112th Founders Day celebration of Jackson State University.
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Sylvia Alvarado interview, April 12, 2019: transcript
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Interviewed by Rodrigo Vazquez, Monserrath Hernández, and Barbara Tabach. Sylvia Alvarado talks about growing up in North Las Vegas and her Catholic upbringing in a Mexican household. Her studies in Journalism & Media Studies led her to her career as a radio host on English and Spanish-speaking programs. She also talks about speaking "pocha" Spanish and the Latinx influence in radio programming.
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Transcript of interview with Michael J. Signorelli by Claytee D. White, Stefani Evans, August 4, 2016
Date
Archival Collection
Description
Michael Signorelli, long-time Las Vegas resident and builder of many local homes, apartments and hotels, describes his upbringing, career, and stellar reputation as part of the “Building Las Vegas” oral history project. Raised in Rhode Island, the only child of an Italian-American father and a Southern Baptist mother, Michael’s early life was influenced by his father’s disability as a World War Two veteran and his non-English speaking paternal grandparents, who owned and ran a grocery store. Talking of his experiences in helping them run the grocery store he says, "I became a businessman at the age of twelve." His military service during the Vietnam War landed him at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. Once here, Michael furthered his education at UNLV, obtaining both his MEd and PhD degrees. In Las Vegas Michael began his work in the housing arena working for Sun Home Builders and his non-profit work, helping to raise funds for the newly formed Rape Crisis Center. Signorelli went on to work for Howard Hughes's Summa Corporation, where he successfully fought against a discrimination lawsuit brought by twenty-one female dealers. In 1978 Michael started his own company, Nicro Corporation, and began building homes in the Las Vegas valley with land he acquired on a hand-shake and a verbal contract. He continued his non-profit work, which included coordinating Lady Bird Johnson’s Green Thumb project for Nevada and the Pacific Northwest. In the 1980s Signorelli was recruited by the Fitzgerald Group, where he was involved in non-gaming operations for their many hotels, cattle ranch, and an in vitro clinic. In this interview, Signorelli describes his non-Las Vegas building projects in Mesquite and Laughlin. He built the Mesquite Star hotel and casino by overcoming multiple hurdles around water access and money. Despite twice obtaining a loan for one hundred million dollars, he was never able to successfully complete the Laughlin hotel and casino, due to legal issues from his partner’s family trust. Signorelli also shares his idea for a unique hotel and casino called the Nev Star that involved his successful negotiation of a waiver to Senate Bill 208. Signorelli concludes his interview by talking about his ownership of the world-famous Golden Steer Steak House restaurant, which opened in 1958. Under Signorelli’s ownership the Golden Steer has been featured in national publications and claims many legendary fans such as NACAR driver Mario Andretti, who in 2016 celebrated his seventy-six birthday at the Golden Steer. Signorelli’s love of Las Vegas and its many positive traits come forth as he talks about his daughter and her achievements and suggests Vegas promoters should do a better job about what great schools, medical care, and government we have in Las Vegas.
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MGM Mirage Corporation Records
Identifier
Abstract
The MGM Mirage Corporation Records date from 1970 to 2010 and consist of the records of the Las Vegas, Nevada based global entertainment company. The collection contains organizational records, employee newsletters, files about the MGM Mirage diversity and inclusion initiative, correspondence, reports on gambling addiction, gambling statistics, press clippings, and audiovisual materials. There are also photographs, photographic slides, and photographic negatives of performers, corporate executives, and MGM Mirage properties.
Archival Collection