The New Frontier marquee, which stood on the Las Vegas Strip for over six decades, is disassembled by Young Electric Sign Co. (YESCO) employees and Dielco Crane Service, Inc. on Wednesday.
Friday, Dec. 12, 2008 | 4:28 p.m.
New Frontier Implosion
The New Frontier was imploded Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007. The 65-year-old casino, the second property built on the famous Las Vegas Strip, was the venue where Elvis Presley made his Las Vegas debut in 1956. It also housed entertainers like Siegfried and Roy, and Wayne Newton; was once owned by eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, and featured one of the longest union strikes in U.S. history.
Sun coverage
The last remnants of the New Frontier hotel and casino will soon disappear.
Demolition began on the famed New Frontier marquee earlier this week at the request of across-the-street neighbor Steve Wynn.
The marquee that once flashed “Cold Beers and Dirty Girls” has sat unplugged since the New Frontier’s closing on July 16, 2007. The empty lot where the casino and hotel once stood sits directly across from the Wynn Las Vegas and the $2.3 billion Encore Las Vegas, which opens Dec. 22.
The New Frontier property is owned by the ELAD Property group, owners of The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The development company plans to build a Plaza Las Vegas on the New Frontier land, with the project scheduled to be completed in 2012 although no ground has been broken yet.
“The sign was taken by the request of Steve Wynn and we were happy to accommodate. The sign is being taken down by his design and development group -- we just gave them permission to come on the property,” said Joe McIntyre, construction manager of ELAD Las Vegas.
A Wynn spokesperson said the sign was taken down at Wynn’s request to prepare for Encore’s opening.
Plans for the New Frontier marquee are uncertain. The Neon Museum didn’t get involved with the process until the marquee already was in the process of being taken down, but some parts could land at the museum.
“We’re working our hardest to save what we can,” said Danielle Kelly, operations director of the museum.
McIntyre said care is being taken in demolition to preserve the marquee.
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