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Vandals hit ‘Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign
Red letters scrawled on sign and leg holding up the structure
Jinae West
Graffiti was found Monday morning on the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign on Las Vegas Boulevard South.
Published Monday, July 13, 2009 | 2:01 p.m.
Updated Monday, July 13, 2009 | 2:58 p.m.
Las Vegas Sign
Legendary Las Vegas neon sign designer Betty Willis, known for her world-famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, talks about how she created her illustrious masterpiece and the significance of each of the sign's various symbols.
Sun Coverage
Sun Archives
- ‘Fabulous’ sign garners historic designation (5-21-2009)
UPDATED STORY: $500 later, red graffiti removed from ‘Fabulous’ sign
As tourists lined up to snap photos of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign Monday morning, many noticed something amiss.
Red graffiti was scrawled on the famous landmark, defacing the main face and one of its structural legs.
Cameron Randall and friend Kevin Daniels, visiting from North Carolina, noticed it right away and were disappointed someone would damage the popular tourist attraction.
"It's kind of sad someone would vandalize something like that," Daniels said. "It's the entrance to the city and everything."
The Young Electric Sign Company owns the sign and leases it to Clark County, county spokeswoman Jennifer Knight said. A red Sharpie marker was used to scrawl the lettering, said Russell Davis of the county's Department of Public Works.
If the company can't restore the sign to its original condition, the county will call in its own contractors to remove the graffiti, Davis said.
Company representatives plan to visit the sign Tuesday and estimate how much it will cost to repair and clean.
"We just repaired that sign a couple weeks ago," a YesCo spokeswoman said. "A couple weeks ago, somebody threw a rock through it."
The Clark County Commission recently launched a Turn-In-A-Tagger program to combat graffiti, which costs the county millions of dollars a year. Adult taggers who are caught by Metro Police, North Las Vegas or Henderson Police officers could be sentenced to help clear up graffiti, officials said.
On Monday, Katie Williams of Missouri said the vandalism was a disheartening act.
"We'll have to Photoshop it out of my photo," she said.
The sign has been a part of the city's history since 1959. Las Vegas native Betty Whitehead Willis came up with the design after Western Neon was contracted by the Clark County Commission. The county offered the company $4,000 to build a sign to welcome visitors to Las Vegas.
On May 1, the sign was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555. A $500 reward to an anonymous caller may be available for information leading to the arrest of graffiti vandals.
Discussion: 73 comments so far…
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I have never actually stopped there to take a picture in the 25 years I have lived here but that is just wrong!! People are so disrespectful!!!
Does that mean that the "gangs" have declared Las Vegas as their territory?
What a shame there are idiots running around that would do this.
Stupid bad graffiti at that too.
And NO ONE saw these punks doing this?????
denro: It was bad graffiti because they KNEW they only had seconds to do this before someone caught them. For all we know, it could have been some drunk tourists who did it on a dare. After all - your gang taggers use more than a Red Sharpie Pen!!!
Sux.
They need to remove that ASAP, or it'll inspire copycat idiots.
God, I miss the old days. Too many jerks around now.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser!! Omg really have to put together an estimate of the cost to repair?? Give me $100 I'll eat the rest of the cost & scrub it off.
Don't get me wrong I think what the punk gangbangers did is wrong but really scrub it off! Its not rocket science
I am tired of the vandalism, hit & run accidents, and crime that goes on here. I want surveillance cameras everywhere catching criminals. These people do not deserve the "privacy" to commit criminal acts.
Permanent Marker can be cheaply and easily removed with plain white toothpaste and a soft wet towel. I just cleaned the screen of an HP laptop for a lady whose ex-husband had scribbled all over using a black permanent marker. It looks as good as new!
"adults could be sentenced" These are usually kids.
The idea of sentencing them to clean is useless.
Jail time will work better
first they stole the pink flamingoes out of the front yard then they took the baby Jesus from the manger during christmas; now this! what could happen next?
Nothing motivates graffiti vandals more than paying attention to their work.
If you want them to stop doing it, you clean off their garbage as quickly as possible -- and you don't draw attention to it. When few people get a chance to see their "work," vandals move on to easier targets.
Splash their crap all over the front page and the 5 o'clock news, and you're guaranteeing another dozen morons will pull the same stunt within a month.
I have to agree, having to take time for an estimate for this is just as stupid as the act itself, especially when there are proven methods already in existance to clean it up. This should be done as soon as possible after being discovered.
This kind of thing probably wouldn't happen if there were a Metro sub station nearby (LOL).
The worst thing the news could do is PRINT A PHOTO of this ridiculous tag. The point of bombing is to get seen. Between this picture and the link on drudge report this kid got more exposure than he thought possible.
As for the clean up is will probably cost 100k. 100 for the work 99,900 for the bureaucracy and so all our esteemed politicians can line their pockets.
People, please. This tagger was simply manifesting his artistic streak, creating an avant-garde, if you will, piece of artistfy. At least that's what all the baby boomers from the 60s lectured everyone as being the definition of graffiti, when they weren't engaging in some of their other highly productive activities, such as rolling around in the mud at Woodstock, of course.
Anyway, here we have yet another fabulous legacy of the 60s counter culture, as it was precisely during that era when people were no longer allowed to "judge" behaviors.
So, stop being so uptight, Westerncentric, classist and elitist, people, and learn to be more accepting of other forms of cultural expression! I know the riders of the New York subway and train systems sure had to, starting in the late 60s, lol!
Mayor Goodman was on the right track with his "cut off their thumbs" comment.
This is the problem with people complacently accepting graffiti in the name of "art." If it's good for an artist, why not for a tagger?
yes...
let's give them publicity for doing this.
where were the cops?
oh ya...that's right...seatbelt enforcement.
It's just wrong to try and impose your culture, views, etc on others. If they want to tag, let them tag their own dang house or something that you own. Don't do at the expense of others.
Incredible story ... what will the next breaking new be?
Clark County Cleans Sign!
Wow
I believe there are two types of vandalism happening on the Betty (Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign). Not just the graffiti but the YESCO sticker on the face which is not part of the original sign. The sign was designed by Betty Willis and built by Western Sign Company.
Also it would be nice to ask why is YESCO attempting to trademark the sign 50 years later? The sign belongs to the community and it must be acknowledged that the sign was and will always be designed by Betty Willis.
YESCO you have no right to trademark something that you did not build nor designed... Good luck enforcing something that cannot be enforced...
Why not install a camera at the site to record activity. Oh yeah, the ACLU won't like that.
Cut off their arms...they won't tag no more!
Um, shouldn't this be "graffiti WERE found"?
False advertising IMO
If you look closely, you will notice this is a gang sign. The LAA tag has been around Vegas for awhile and at the school I teach at. the rest of initials are the Mickey Mouse tag- you know, roll call.
But they are getting the last laugh as this has been publized throughout the country.
For anyone that is blaming taggers and grafiti artists... I am sure that some of you in here carved your initials into a picnic table or tree when you were a kid... no different. But this person is NOT a GRAFITI ARTIST some of them are VERY GOOD at it and frankly I would much rather look at a wall with a mural...This person could have been some EVERYDAY AVERAGE DRUNK PERSON DOING IT ON A DARE.. If you look at the writing it is 1 persons handwriting.
If only it were done as a critique of this iconic image and the waste, plasticity, violence and greed it signifies rather than as something tantamount to peeing on a tree to mark one's territory.
Pretty awesome. I think I laughed most when I saw the tourists on the news complaining that it ruined their vacation. For those that think it's disrespectful, that public "landmark" represents all the disrespectful institutions that are the strip and deserves no such respect. Tag it up. Tag it all up. And treat this town like the whore it is. Respect? Bah. In Vegas? This town has no respect for anything. So don't act so shocked, it demeans us all when you do.
What does a tagger, and a cue ball have in common ?
[answer]: The HARDER you hit......the MORE ENGLISH you get !!!
There is also a product that comes in a spray can called : Vandal-R - which easily removes markings without defacing surfaces, it sprays out a foam like substance thats compared to shaving cream.
We need to bring back flogging. I don't think jail time or making them clean up graffiti will faze them much. If you administer severe pain that will get their attention. First offence 10 lashes with a cat of nine tails, add 5 lashes for each additional offence.
By even reporting this Goofy story it will only encourage more vandals. Plus the Graffiti sucks, very bad artist!
I completely agree with SANYOLEDTV.....don't bring attention to them you encourage them even more when its in the news....and they knew it would get page one.
Maybe it was the ghost of Liberace
And to think, the sign is located near a Metro substation.......hmmmm.
Put the mob back in control, this stuff will stop.
so many reasons to get the mexicans out of america. NO RESPECT!. like the imposter muslim president, deport the illegals !!! and free america from the mexican & muslim menace.
Just electrify the sign.
They need to put clear vinyl adhesive over the sign like they do on NASCAR windshields and when the idiots do that again, they just peel off a layer...
The crime in this city is getting way out of control! Too much trash moving this city, all you got to is drive a few blocks east of the world famous strip (Twain/Paradise) you see blight and crime everywhere!
For those who wanted to see the mod gone, this is what you get...oh, wait...there's no such thing as the mob LOL
Folks, this is just the tip of the tip when it comes to the cancer of illegals in this country. We have been invaded. This is NOT a racist comment but the facts. If you don't get what I'm saying then I suggest you look up the definition of ILLEGAL as that seems to be too subtle for most liberals. Those that break our laws (whether it's criminal or immigration) are committing an ILLEGAL ACT and should be prosecuted as the law allows. PERIOD. Don't give me any of that sanctuary nonsense. CAUGHT IN THE ACT? GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL, do not pass go, do not receive $200. Too simple a concept for sadly, too many.
I'm suprised no one's done it before this! Wait till the put up the old casino signs at LVBD and Washington ave.
cane them
Comment removed by staff.
RyMan..you're an a$$. You are probably one of the pitiful people like the taggers that did it. Las Vegas a "whore"? the only diff between MY city and your "podunk" home town is that you have probably been chewed up and spit out by Fabulous Las Vegas, and you hate it that you ain't nothin.And what happens here "in the open", you hide in back alleys and bad neighborhoods. Get a life or go home to your slum, where grafitti is an art form.
Red Sharpies should have been outlawed long ago. This only furthers the need for Red Sharpie laws.
Why don't city officials quietly send someone up with a Magic Eraser sponge and see if that works. A simple fix should be considered and tried before spending hundreds more dollars on another spendy restoration company-fix. Should cost a little labor cost and about $7.50 for the erasers. If it doesn't work, get the pros.
unbelivable, this shoulda been cleaned up QUICKLY and the story would've never really been
Raise the sign, if the problem persists look for taller suspects
For 400,000 we should have a security camera out there.
The idea to raise the sign actually is a good idea.
I can't believe Oscar Goodman isn't out there already cleaning this up.
Maybe we could ask Wolfgang Puck for a few bucks from his subsidized restaurant at the Preserve.
PUT A CAMERA ON IT!!
Then next time you'll be able to broadcast the idiot's face all over the news and catch them.
I believe that that we should have a 24 hour web cam streamed live around the world of that sign. That sign is among the most recognized brands on the planet. People gather around that sign all day long. It amazes me that we have not done this by now. I was in Virginia City a while back and discovered that they have a webcam shot of the main drag there, C Street. Works for them. Hear me now and believe me later -- thousands of browser hits per day. Sell advertising to hotel/casinos. If I say anymore, I will have to bill the sign company and the Visitor's Authority for my consulting work.
''I can't believe Oscar Goodman isn't out there already cleaning this up''.
Unfortunately it is out of Oscar's hands....the sign is not within Las Vegas City Limits.... it is county/metro jurisdiction.
LA Mexican gang signs again. No worries they will soon own America. They keep hiring the illegals, and then cry when they rob, graphitti,and commit crime. You reap what you sow....get used to it!
I hate that someone did this - but "restoring it to its original condition" should be no big deal. Any mom can tell you that Sharpie can be removed with just a few gentle swipes from a "Magic Eraser" (a brand name product from Mr Clean, but there are other similar products out there)
That cheap ass sign is so stupid.
I think tourists get their picture taken there just to say they did before it was obviously taken down and replaced with something better, a little silly momento.
If everybody treats it like a landmark, then you're screwing yourselves. Just a bunch of dips preserving crap that was never meant to last this long.
Just like your housing subdivisions close to the strip, the sprawl immediately east of the strip, the sprawl within a 5 mile radius of downtown... Garbage Collectors!!! All of you who think preservation of cheaply built junk is worth preserving.
Maybe that was the point of the graffiti? Next time run it over to avoid pedestrians...
And MagLev is too expensive... don't do it.
New casinos are over budget... don't build them.
Housing is overdeveloped... stop building.
Tourism is down... stop hiring.
And just rot in stinking hell, scrap for scraps:)!
And news is redundant... stop reading.
Building a kick ass entry to Las Vegas is too expensive... don't change it.
No moron is going to come here to get a photo with that sign as a background!?!? It's not the Great Wall of China now is it? It's not an incredibly tall pyramid built of stones, is it?
Put a big "Hello" on top of the Stratosphere and then, maybe, you have yourselves a "landmark". To hell with that POS neon (not even) sign.
And don't open up your "fabulous" national recreation area in Lake Mead to private development either, because so many people just enjoy that rocky desert with a toilet view too much.
And certainly don't build a fairgrounds or anything like that. If you can stack 13,000 unwanted houses into 1000 acres, I mean, why would you.
Nobody wants to go out for a barbecued rib cook off or see a horse race in person, now do they? Of course not. Everybody hates Cotton Candy and playing festival games in Las Vegas, don't they? Why bother when you can cram as many houses as possible into as little space as possible in a region that should be as open as possible and simply watch American life on the television. Maybe rent Doc Hollywood? I'll come up with some other movies showing the point (Wild Hogs?) if the opportunity presents itself.
Until then... uh.. what??.. [that's our motto?].. [okay].. ummm... Baybe!
Brigitteyee, menotyou, and Bugmetons
I see and hear the complaints about "getting rid" illegal immigrants constantly! How do either of you suggest we go about doing this?
Hope you guys realize that when you give those gang bangers attention like this that it just encourages them to tag more locations. DUMB!
slumpdog...you need to get laid a little more.... vegas is a city without the total city feel...most people in citys get to live on top of their neighbor in vegas we get a BACKYARD! yes it may be small but its a BACKYARD...ILL take Vegas over NYC anyday....(and im from NY)
We are getting pissed on by the gangs, like animals peeing on a tree. Too bad our sheriff hangs out at strip clubs busting "hookers".
Just quietly clean off the graffiti. With all the advertising money thats spend promoting las vegas and the casinos, divert a little of it to maintenance of landmarks like this.
And put on on the freeway where most people will actually SEE it when they come into town. Who still comes into town on LV blvd unless you are staying at Mandalay or Luxor when you can get off the freeway at Trop or Flamingo or Springmountain or even Sahara.
I think its incredible that a couple average joes haven't quietly cleaned it off yet... Its embarrassing its still there - shouldn't take this long... Its not like its the FIRST thing most people see driving in from Cali!
Comment removed by staff.
I see that the sign was cleaned of the graffiti and they are not going to put surveillance cameras around it. I think that is not a good idea, everyone knows that the vandals are locals and more then likely some other kids will try to do it too. This is a piece of history and been there for years it should be a valuable asset for the city of Vegas and this undesirable act should be a notice that the city should keep it under surveillance so it won't happen again.
Concern Vegas resident
MAGSNY..,
You're right I do, but the risk of supporting a family through this crisis just doesn't appeal to me, so I don't take the chance. I can't imagine being scolded by my wife to get a job when there aren't any, and then watch her run off with some A-hole.
I grew up in Ohio and your backyard is pitiful. Enjoy the sound of dogs barking. Give me a highrise condo or give me 10 acres, anything in between is crap.
THE SIGN is close enough to McCarren to have a 24 hour helicopter watch, I wouldn't pay the initial cost for surveillance.
geenab65
commented on suggesting that there is consortium suggesting we get rid of illegal immigrants.
There is the next wave of financial disaster luminous in the horizon. We're not going to build another subdivision soon. We could build an "InterNational" prison, time-share actually, half-way house, community, but the Big-Time idiots are still clinging on to the idea of profiting.
The hurdle is that (ironically) all of these idiots that think they are better than the rest can't actually provide an environment for those that aren't in a good situation. At least not at a profit...
If you ask why, then the banks enter the equation and it gets more dismal...
It spins me right round when I think this is such an opportunity...
But back on topic, there is an old sign in Las Vegas that has the power to rile up texters...