Neon Museum to restore 3 Flamingo Las Vegas signs from 60s, 70s

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Neon Museum announced Tuesday plans to restore and relight three signs from the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.

Flamingo’s historic 1967 pylon sign by Bill Clarke and two feather plumes designed by Raul Rodriguez in 1976 will be brought back to life.

Clarke was a designer for AD-Art and led the efforts to transform the Las Vegas Strip by adding pylon signs to the skyline.

Rodrigues was a renowned designer for parade floats and was most notably known for the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.

“Restoring these three pieces and displaying them together, The Neon Museum will be able to pay tribute to the oldest property still operating on the Strip,” The Neon Museum Executive Director Aaron Berger said.

The Flamingo’s original concept and construction started with the guidance of Bill Wilkerson, a Los Angeles entrepreneur, who was eventually pushed out of the project by his business partner Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel.

The Flamingo originally opened in 1946 and was the third resort on the Las Vegas Strip. The opening was poorly attended due to the hotel not being fully complete and bad weather.

The hotel reopened in March 1947 and was later acquired by Hilton in the 1970s, resulting in the new signage by Rodriguez.

The restoration of the signs is funded by donations from Emily Conner Cooper, wife of the late comedian and entertainer Pat Cooper, Andrew Pascal, CEO of PLAYSTUDIOS, and Felicia French, CEO of Opuzen.

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