The future of one of Las Vegas’ most famous and beloved signs is up in the air amid tourist complaints.
Vegas Vic is a slim, 40-foot neon cowboy that presides over E Fremont Street. Standing since 1951, the sign acts as an unofficial welcoming sign for Sin City.
The sign is so synonymous with the city that it has been featured in everything from a U2 music video to an episode of The Simpsons. It has also appeared in the Fallout and Grand Theft Auto video game franchises.
However, in recent years, tourists have complained on social media that, when they have gone to see the sign for themselves, its lights have been switched off. Others have said that, when they have visited, the sign has not been waving as it often does.
“He’s probably in need of a very thorough restoration, and that would be a significant investment on the property owners to have to take that on,” Aaron Berger, CEO of the Neon Museum, told SFGATE. “So they have to weigh if it’s worth the cost. ‘Is having Vic lit going to change the number of people who are coming in my store, or does it even matter?’”
Berger told the outlet that the Neon Museum’s efforts to take over the sign have gone “unanswered.”
However, ownership of the physical cigarette-smoking cowboy sign and the trademark for the sign lie in different hands.
In 2023, the City of Las Vegas confirmed on X it had worked with the sign’s owner to bring Vegas Vic up to the standard after seeing complaints about it not being fully lit.
“He's back and shining brighter than ever! Vegas Vic is *fully* lit on Fremont!,” the city added.
Jace Radke, a spokesperson for the city, told The Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2023 that the sign must be illuminated from at least one hour before dusk to one hour before dawn.
City standards also require signs to be “maintained in good structural condition, in compliance with all building and city codes,” while also not chipping or peeling.
Before and after the 2023 restoration, though, residents and tourists have accompanied social media posts about the sign with the hashtag: “#FixVic.”
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