THE SECRETS OF CASINOS – Las Vegas neon signs and casinos 3c53
The history of Vegas is closely linked to the history of neon. In fact, Las Vegas even has a Neon Museum (neonmuseum.org). You will find in the following article a brief history of neon in Vegas and the reasons why Neon has been one of the Casino Secrets for almost 100 years. 681r3j
Las Vegas neon signs 1d7317
A Frenchman made Vegas history 6s5239
The inventor of neon was engineer Claude Georges. Inspired by Heinrich Geissler’s ‘Geissler tubes’, he realized that ing electric current through the rarefied gas in a tube would create a neon glow discharge that could have a striking visual effect. Following this discovery, he first presented his invention at the Paris Motor Show in 1910. Claude later patented his invention and began selling neon signs through his company, Claude Neon Lights.
Following his patent, the first use of a neon sign is believed to have been by a Parisian hairdresser in 1912. The words “Palais Coiffeur” were illuminated in neon above the shop front and became a prominent feature along the Boulevarde Montemartre, inspiring other Paris business owners to commission their own signs.
Earle C Anthony is believed to have been the first business owner in the US to use neon signage – in 1923, he ordered two signs that read “Packard” to be used by two car dealerships in Los Angeles.The use of neon signs spread quickly throughout the rest of America.
As for the history of neon in Las Vegas, the first signs are believed to have appeared between 1928 and 1930. Ethel Guenter, owner of the Overland Hotel, is believed to have installed the first neon sign in Las Vegas.
Neon in Las Vegas and its seductive power 4p6071
In 1910, then 15-year-old Thomas Young emigrated from northern England to Ogden, Utah, with his family. Loving drawing and design, he dropped out of school to work in a local shop. Also fascinated by light, Young founded his own firm called the Sign Company in 1920, which he renamed the Young Electric Sign Company a decade later, later shortened to YESCO.
1932 was the year YESCO began providing neon signage services for clients such as the Oasis Café and the Boulder Club. After opening an office in Vegas in 1945, YESCO made a big splash in 1946 with a giant new sign for the Boulder Club.
Many others would follow as Las Vegas grew in the postwar era and into the 1950s. “Those were crazy times,” Young said. “The casinos with the biggest and shiniest signs were getting the most business, so with each new sign, the next guy wanted something even shinier.”
YESCO met the challenge by creating icons like the “Vegas Vic.” Installed in 1951 at the Pioneer Club, the 48-foot-tall mechanical cowboy, incorporating 5,000 feet of neon tubing and electrical wiring, was the largest animated electric sign in the world at the time.
Preserving the city’s neon sign of gratitude 5i6m3j
Welcoming visitors to Las Vegas in the cocktail lounge in the Circa Resort & Casino lobby the famous neon Vegas Vickie’s Vegas Vickie neon sign depicting the famous cowgirl that first appeared in the dazzling downtown Las Vegas landscape in the 1980s is now preserved and brought to life by Circa Resort & Casino owner Derek Stevens.
The Vegas Vickie was once a must-see landmark on Fremont Street, originally designed by Charles F Bernard and installed above Bob Stupak’s Glitter Gulch casino in 1980 – it has always been a dazzling tourist attraction. Aiming to unite old and new Vegas in novel ways, Derek Stevens purchased the sign in 2016 with the intention of giving Vickie a new home at Circa. Now, after a much-needed makeover, Vegas Vickie’s is located in the lobby of Circa at the bar that bears her name – Vegas Vickie’s Cocktail Lounge.
Why was Neon a fantastic thing for Las Vegas? 1n7223
Neon lights have served as great advertising tools for casinos and helped light up the streets of Las Vegas so that gamblers could keep playing until morning. Making you believe and feel that it’s still light outside has always been one of the casino secrets.
Only the King of Rock ‘n Roll can say it better:
“Viva Las Vegas with your neon flashin’
And your one arm bandits crashin’
All those hopes down the drain
Viva Las Vegas turnin’ day into nighttime”
Elvis Presley (Viva Las Vegas)
Plus, the neon signs were a big draw for tourists. Everyone flocked to see the Vegas Vic, the cowboy who puffs smoke out of his cigarette and says Howdy Podner’s Howdy Podner every 30 seconds, many decades ago. Now they get a chance to do it on the Freemont Street Experience.
The neon signage of old Las Vegas was the charm the city needed to win over people from all over the world.
Now LED has conquered Las Vegas, but the city’s allure has been brought to the city by neon, and that’s one of the secrets of the casinos.
Sources: neonmuseum.org, meetingstoday.com, circalasvegas.com
