Neon Museum Displays Refurbished Flamingo Las Vegas Signs
The Neon Museum in Las Vegas revealed its first Flamingo signage on Tuesday, showcasing bits from the oldest resort on the Strip.
"This allows us to talk about everything from the mob to the entertainment influence," explained Aaron Berger, the Neon Museum's executive director. "The Flamingo is where it all started."
Not a Classic, but Still Something
Regrettably, the current signs aren't from the Flamingo's traditional era. Dating back to 1976, they came five years after the establishment transformed into the Flamingo Hilton. (It reverted to its original name in 2001.)
The pylon sign is just a replica of a 1967 sign created by Ad-Art's Bill Clarke. Unfortunately, the original wasn't preserved.
While critics nowadays deride Las Vegas for its lack of respect for architectural history, the situation was significantly worse from the 1940s through the 1970s.
This city didn't salvage much from the initial Las Vegas for posterity.
Today's Flamingo, established in 1946, lacks any original structures. The last remaining building — containing Bugsy Siegel's office — was demolished as part of a 1995 renovation.
Hence, these recently renovated signs are the only surviving architectural memento of the Flamingo.
The restoration's cost, estimated at several figures, was covered by three primary contributors: Andrew Pascal, CEO of online gambling company Play Studios, nephew of Steve Wynn; Felicia French, CEO of textile company Opuzen; and Emily Conner Cooper, the late Pat Cooper's widow. (Cooper's first Las Vegas gig was at the Flamingo in 1963.)
Stealing the Show
The Neon Museum has been concealing these newly restored signs within its "neon boneyard" — the back lot housing its collection of signs — since they were donated by the Flamingo in 2003. Although the "Flamingo" lettering wasn't retained.
The pylon sign's upper half had been blending in, hidden behind the "Wedding Information" sign, which graced the Ali Baba Wedding Center at the airport throughout the 1940s.
Many couples paying $950 an hour for wedding rentals at the museum have this sign in their background without realizing it.
One final, unrestored, Flamingo feather plume from the 1970s remains on display in the boneyard.
Saying Goodbye
The pylon sign was taken down in 1987 to make way for the construction of O'Shea's Casino, which opened on the site in 1989. (O'Shea's was demolished in 2012 and a smaller version opened in the Linq Promenade in the following year.)
Thankfully, the Hilton Corporation stored the pylon sign's top portion on the Flamingo property after its removal.
No new Flamingo sign was ever created, as the resort's current one, popularly called the "bull nose," has already occupied the Strip with its substantial name since it was added during a 1977 renovation.
Why Does This Matter?
The Flamingo is the oldest enduring resort on the Strip, having officially opened in December 1946. It remains etched in pop culture's mind thanks to the media's fixation with its gangster creator. However, popular culture exaggerates Siegel's role in the Flamingo's initiation.
Billy Wilkerson, publisher of the Hollywood Reporter, was the real driving force behind the Flamingo's inception. Economic difficulties during construction forced him to bring in Siegel as a partner, a choice he regretted after Siegel strong-armed him out of the project.
People still admire Siegel because of Hollywood's preoccupation with the mobster, but he should not be given credit for creating the Flamingo. Wilkerson deserves the recognition.
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Source: www.casino.org
