Envision yourself stepping into the Las Vegas downtown of the past, in which the local community is bustling with the opening of varied casinos and motels. As you stroll through beautified areas, like East Fremont Street from Las Vegas Boulevard to 14th Street, your eyes are drawn to signs adorned with striking paint and dazzling neon.
Fast forwarding to 2018, many spaces in Downtown Las Vegas had visibly expanded and brightened over the years while others had faded with time. Spaces that were previously teeming with the hustle and bustle of a thriving downtown community were left vacant. Signs that used to light up the night could be found with their paint bleached by years of sun and neon burned out by time.
While the metaphorical light in these spaces had dimmed by 2018, the city of Las Vegas and many private stakeholders believed that the radiance of these neighborhoods could be rekindled if only given a spark. But how can you reignite the light in locations so rich with history, and how can you do so in such a way that the local community also will believe and add to the brilliance? The city of Las Vegas, alongside private stakeholders, discovered an answer to these pivotal questions: Project Enchilada.
Project Enchilada is the unique name given to the plan created by the city of Las Vegas and private stakeholders to restore areas of downtown Las Vegas to their former beauty, as well as breathe new modern life into them. The project is designed to revitalize all of downtown, the “whole enchilada” if you will, but it has a focus on areas from Main Street to Eastern Avenue and from U.S. 95 to Charleston Boulevard. With a love for history and a respect for Las Vegans, the plan was created to reinvigorate streetscapes with green space, retail restoration, and renovation of iconic neon signs.
Project Enchilada was proposed to the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial in 2018, and they gave a grant (that does not include taxpayer funds) for the complete refurbishment and 10 years of upkeep of historic downtown Las Vegas neon monuments. Altogether, a number of signs were chosen for refurbishment, including the Starview Motel, Traveler’s Motel, Lucky Motel, Lucky Lady Motel, and the Fremont Motel signs. These selected signs each have an incredible story to tell, as they have stood in downtown Las Vegas for half a century or more.
The Traveler’s Motel, characterized by its illustrative sign with a person climbing up rungs of a ladder, welcomed guests for over 70 years after opening in 1936. Its vintage sign serves as a reminder of the motor court’s illustrious past, with one of its original owners being the successful actress known for her Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films, Sara Haden.
The StarView Motel, originally named St. Catherine’s Motel, was built in 1953. It was renamed StarView in the late 1950s. Its sign stood over the motel for more than 50 years, until the motel closed after the turn of the century.
Air conditioning, TV, and a pool? It’s no wonder that the Lucky Motel was bringing an abundance of guests inside from the Las Vegas heat since it opened in 1951. While it closed in 2012, its sign continues to attract eyes with its neon green “Lucky” wording and a charming four-leaf clover painting.
Opening in 1947, the Fremont Motel warmly greeted visitors for nearly 60 years. The classic sign now shines brightly over the East Fremont area, highlighting the motel’s fascinating history.
Calling all history buffs – check out the Lucky Lady Motel that is still open after about 70 years of business! You’ll find the charming space right next to its vibrant sign, embellished with a neon lucky horseshoe.
Today, multiple refurbished neon signs shine over the East Fremont area, but they achieve even more than beautification of the streetscapes. The renovated signs represent downtown Las Vegas’ beloved past as a whole, as well as signify our strength and continuity as a Las Vegas community. The monuments exemplify how the city of Las Vegas is historically a trailblazer in neon usage, and demonstrate how Las Vegas has progressed to become the neon capital of the world. Project Enchilada has altogether encouraged residents, both long term and new, to come together and cherish Downtown Las Vegas’ evolution.