Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign - wikipedia Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign The `` Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas '' Sign U.S. National Register of Historic Places The sign, just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip, welcoming visitors to the city Show map of Downtown Las Vegas Show map of Nevada Show map of the US Show all Location 5200 Las Vegas Blvd South Paradise, Nevada, 89119 Coordinates 36 ° 4 ′ 55.4 '' N 115 ° 10 ′ 22 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 36.082056 ° N 115.17278 ° W ﻿ / 36.082056 ; - 115.17278 Coordinates : 36 ° 4 ′ 55.4 '' N 115 ° 10 ′ 22 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 36.082056 ° N 115.17278 ° W ﻿ / 36.082056 ; - 115.17278 Built 1959 ( 1959 ) Architect Betty Willis Architectural style Googie NRHP reference # 09000284 Added to NRHP May 1, 2009 The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is a Las Vegas landmark funded in May 1959 and erected soon after by Western Neon. The sign was designed by Betty Willis at the request of Ted Rogich, a local salesman, who sold it to Clark County, Nevada. The sign is located in the median at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South, north of the historic stone pillars of the old McCarran Airport on the east side, and across from the Bali Hai Golf Club and the ( closed ) Klondike Hotel & Casino on the west side. Some consider the sign to be the official southern end of the Las Vegas Strip. The sign, like most of the Strip, sits in Paradise and is located roughly 4 miles ( 6.4 km ) south of the actual city limits of Las Vegas. ( Such distinctions are usually ignored by both locals and tourists, who refer to the entire metro area as `` Las Vegas ''. ) Contents 1 Design 2 History 2.1 Site improvements 2.2 Notable events involving the sign 3 Replica signs 4 Use in souvenirs 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Design The sign at night with the lights illuminated. The back of the sign at night. The sign is a 25 - foot - tall ( 7.6 m ) classic roadside pole design, mounted offset on two flat poles which are joined by a cross piece at the top. The poles extend above the top of the sign. The sign is a horizontally stretched diamond shape, with the top and bottom angles pointed while the side angles are rounded. It is double - backed, internally lit, with a border of flashing and chasing yellow incandescent bulbs outside around the perimeter. In a nod to Nevada 's nickname as `` the Silver State, '' across the top of the sign are white neon circles, designed to represent silver dollars. The circles each contain a red painted letter, outlined in neon, which together form the word `` Welcome. '' Crowning the sign, located between the two poles and just under the crosspiece is an eight - pointed, red - painted metal star outlined with yellow neon. The intersecting vertical and horizontal lines of the star extend over and wrap around the frame that is created by the two poles and the cross piece, which give the star a dynamic, explosive appearance. The cabinet is faced with translucent white plastic and covered with blue and red painted text. The south side of the sign reads `` Welcome '' inside the silver dollars, with `` to Fabulous '' in blue, in a 1950s - style cursive, underneath. The words `` Las Vegas '' are on the next line in red, all capitalized, and large, almost filling the width of the sign. Under `` Las Vegas '' is the word `` Nevada '' in blue, all capitalized, in a much smaller font. On the back or north side, which is less frequently photographed and thus is lesser known, the sign reads `` Drive '' on the top line and `` Carefully '' on the second in red capital letters, with `` Come Back '' in blue on the third line, in script, and `` Soon '' all capitalized in blue on the fourth line. The design is characteristic of the Googie architecture movement. History Betty Willis intended to design a sign that was unique in its shape, style and content. Young Electric Sign Company ( YESCO ) currently owns the sign, which leases it to Clark County, while the design itself is in the public domain. The design of the sign was never copyrighted since Willis considered this her gift to the city and wanted it to be in the public domain. This has resulted in the image being ubiquitous on Las Vegas souvenirs. In 2007, Clark County installed decorative artificial turf inlaid with four playing cards underneath the sign. In late 2008, Clark County employees sought to have the sign listed on the National Register of Historic Places ; the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office officially nominated it, and the National Park Service approved the designation on May 1, 2009. On December 6, 2013, the State Historic Preservation Office for the State of Nevada announced that the `` Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas '' sign had been added to the State Register of Historic Places. On April 19, 2015, the designer of the sign, Betty Willis, died in her home in Overton, Nevada. She was 91 years old. On May 5, 2015, Clark County commissioners declared May 5 `` Betty Willis Day '' honoring the designer of the sign. Commissioners issued a proclamation to her daughter Marjorie Holland. Site improvements Prior to 2008, access to the iconic sign for photo opportunities was risky. There was no legal place for visitors to park, and visitors had to cross travel lanes of Las Vegas Boulevard and hop up onto a median to reach the sign. Although there had been no known traffic fatalities involving pedestrians attempting to access the sign, rising traffic at the south end of the Strip presented an increasingly dangerous situation. After control of Las Vegas Boulevard was transferred from the state to Clark County, county officials decided to improve access and increase safety around the sign for photo - seekers. On December 8, 2008, site improvements were completed in the median allowing official public access to the welcome sign for the first time. The $400,000 project included a parking lot with 12 parking spaces and two loading areas for buses and limousines, as well as a paved walkway leading from the parking to the sign viewing area. The improvements were successful, and the small parking lot was soon completely overwhelmed by an ever - increasing number of visitors to the sign. In April 2012, the Clark County Commission authorized the expenditure of $500,000 to add 20 more spaces to accommodate visitor traffic. On April 23, 2015, a second site enhancement project was completed at a cost of $900,000. This project added 21 additional parking spaces to the parking lot and completed additional cosmetic and safety improvements, including new marked crosswalks with traffic signals to allow safer pedestrian access to the sign. Notable events involving the sign On October 4, 1999, the sign went dark for about a month when the company that had been paying the power bill was bought by another company who did not pay the bill. When the problem was discovered, payment of the past due amount, under $60, was made, and power was turned back on. On January 31, 2008, the sign turned red in support of National Wear Red Day. The American Heart Association 's Go Red for Women campaign sought to educate the public on women 's risk of cardiovascular disease and promote the importance of women getting screened for heart disease. On March 28, 2009 the sign along with much of the Las Vegas Strip was darkened for one hour as the city took part in Earth Hour. On May 14, 2009, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and the Playboy personality Holly Madison coincided the start of summer with the sign 's 50th anniversary. Part of the celebration was making it in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest bikini parade, followed by pool parties throughout the city. The event kicked off in front of the sign with a runway - style retrospective featuring bathing suits from the 1950s to today. April 28, 2010, marked the first time the text of the sign has ever been changed. Mayor Oscar Goodman unveiled the new marketing campaign `` Camp Vegas. '' The sign was adorned with a cover that read `` Welcome to Fabulous Camp Vegas. '' The event was hosted by Holly Madison, Wayne Newton, Oscar Goodman, and a slew of showgirls and skydivers. The Camp Vegas cover remained over the sign for 36 hours. Replica signs Boulder Highway Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign The welcome sign is not located within the City of Las Vegas proper, but is actually approximately four miles ( 6.4 km ) south of the city limits. In 2002, the Las Vegas City Council erected a sign reading `` Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas '' at Las Vegas Boulevard and 4th Street, just within the city limits of the City of Las Vegas. This sign was destroyed in 2016 when a pickup truck crashed into it. On March 6, 2007, another replica of the sign was installed on Boulder Highway just north of Tropicana Avenue, the result of casinos along the `` Boulder Strip '' uniting to have their own welcome sign. Like the original, it does not mark the border with Las Vegas ; instead, it `` represents the understood gateway from the Boulder Highway to Las Vegas. '' This is according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Use in souvenirs The lights from the sign are removed and offered as a commemorative souvenir. OfficialLasVegasLight.com donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales to local charities. In 2004, souvenir replicas of the sign that light up were sold to benefit the Nevada Cancer Institute. In 2005, the image of the sign was featured on the Nevada license plate that was issued to commemorate the centennial of the City of Las Vegas. On March 1, 2012, a business selling photos in front of a replica of the sign opened at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. This features an actual, physical sign located in the airport. See also Vegas Vic, another famous symbol of Las Vegas References ^ Jump up to : `` Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties ''. National Park Service. May 8, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` Betty Willis, Designer of ' Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas ' Sign, Dies ''. Las Vegas : NBC News. April 21, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` National Register of Historic Places Registration Form '' ( PDF ). National Park Service. October 2008. p. 5. NPS Form 10 - 900. Jump up ^ nvshpo.org - Rebecca Palmer 775 - 684 - 3443 Jump up ^ `` Betty Willis Day : Commissioners honor creator of Welcome To Las Vegas sign ''. Las Vegas : KXNT - FM. May 5, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Wyland, Scott ( December 9, 2008 ). `` Iconic sign more welcoming ''. Las Vegas Review - Journal. Retrieved August 7, 2016. Jump up ^ Schoenmann, Joe ( April 17, 2012 ). `` County to expand parking lot at Las Vegas welcome sign ''. Las Vegas Sun. Jump up ^ `` New traffic, pedestrian signals lit at Vegas welcome sign ''. Las Vegas : Las Vegas Review - Journal. April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Welcome to Las Vegas Sign Turns Red ''. LasVegasVegas.com. January 31, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Las Vegas Goes Dark For Earth Hour ''. Las Vegas : KLAS - TV. March 28, 2009. Jump up ^ Arseniuk, Melissa ( May 14, 2009 ). `` Goodman, Holly Madison welcome summer, set bikini record ''. Las Vegas Sun. Jump up ^ `` Las Vegas becomes Camp Vegas ''. Las Vegas : KTNV - TV. April 29, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2010. ^ Jump up to : `` Ask Mr. Sun : The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign ''. Las Vegas Sun. November 25, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2010. Jump up ^ `` ' Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas ' sign destroyed by truck ''. 17 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016. Jump up ^ `` Las Vegas Lights ''. Officiallasvegaslight.com. Retrieved March 23, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Souvenir Replica of Famous ' Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas ' Sign Now Available for Purchase ''. Las Vegas Review - Journal. October 1, 2004. Jump up ^ `` Las Vegas Centennial license plate ''. Jump up ^ Wingert, Gregan ( March 13, 2012 ). `` New business banks on tourists, Las Vegas sign, studio in McCarran 's baggage claim area ''. The Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved January 30, 2013. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Welcome to Las Vegas sign, from VEGAS.com Iconic Neon Sign Survives Vegas Makeover NPR 's radio interview with Betty Willis, October 3, 2006 Live view of the sign Flickr Gallery Las Vegas Welcome Sign Las Vegas Strip South end Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign West side casinos Aria Bellagio Caesars Palace Circus Circus Cosmopolitan Excalibur Lucky Dragon Luxor Mandalay Bay The Mirage Monte Carlo New York - New York Resorts World ( proposed ) Slots - A-Fun Stratosphere Treasure Island East side casinos Bally 's Casino Royale Cromwell Encore Flamingo Fontainebleau ( on hold ) Harrah 's The Linq MGM Grand O'Sheas Palazzo Paris Planet Hollywood SLS Tropicana Venetian Wynn Former casinos Boardwalk Castaways Desert Inn Dunes El Rancho El Rancho Vegas Hacienda Klondike Marina New Frontier Riviera Sahara Sands Silver City Silver Slipper Stardust Thunderbird Westward Ho Shopping Crystals Fashion Show Mall The Forum Shops Grand Canal Shoppes Miracle Mile Shops Showcase Mall Attractions Adventuredome High Roller The Roller Coaster Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay Skyvue T - Mobile Arena Transportation Aria Express The Deuce Las Vegas Monorail Mandalay Bay Tram RTC Transit McCarran Airport Related List of Las Vegas Strip hotels Paradise, Nevada Winchester, Nevada Strip Gaming Area National Register of Historic Places in Clark County, Nevada B - 29 Serial No. 45 - 21847 Berkley Square Boulder City Historic District Old Boulder City Hospital Boulder Dam Hotel Boulder Dam Park Museum Brownstone Canyon Archaeological District Camp Lee Canyon Clark Avenue Railroad Underpass Corn Creek Campsite Desert Valley Museum El Cortez Eureka Locomotive Gold Strike Canyon - Sugarloaf Mountain Traditional Cultural Property Goodsprings Schoolhouse Grapevine Canyon Petroglyphs ( AZ : F : 14 : 98 ASM ) Green Shack Gypsum Cave Harrison 's Guest House Hoover Dam Huntridge Theater John S. Park Historic District Hidden Forest Cabin Homestake Mine Jay Dayton Smith House Kyle Ranch Las Vegas Grammar School Las Vegas Grammar School Las Vegas High School Academic Building and Gymnasium Las Vegas High School Neighborhood Historic District Las Vegas Mormon Fort Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse Las Vegas Springs LDS Moapa Stake Office Building Little Church of the West Mesquite High School Gymnasium Mormon Well Spring Moulin Rouge Hotel Old Spanish Trail / Mormon Road Historic District Overton Gymnasium Parley Hunt House Potosi Pueblo Grande de Nevada Railroad Cottage Historic District Sandstone Ranch Sheep Mountain Range Archeological District Sloan Petroglyph Site Spirit Mountain Thomas Leavitt House Tim Springs Petroglyphs Tule Springs Archaeological Site Tule Springs Ranch St. Thomas Memorial Cemetery Washington School Walking Box Ranch The `` Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas '' Sign Willow Beach Gauging Station Woodlawn Cemetery National Register of Historic Places listings in Nevada Nevada State Historic Places by county Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Welcome_to_Fabulous_Las_Vegas_sign&oldid=796782314 '' Categories : Las Vegas Strip Individual signs in the United States Googie architecture Buildings and structures completed in 1959 1959 establishments in Nevada Buildings and structures in Paradise, Nevada Landmarks in Nevada Tourist attractions in the Las Vegas Valley Architecture of the Las Vegas Valley National Register of Historic Places in Clark County, Nevada Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Nevada Individual signs on the National Register of Historic Places Hidden categories : Wikipedia page with obscure country or subdivision Coordinates on Wikidata All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from November 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Latviešu Nederlands Português Русский 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 23 August 2017, at 01 : 26. 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Question: who owns the welcome to las vegas sign
Answer: Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO)