Sammy Davis Jr. joins ranks of people immortalized on Las Vegas area’s street signs

By Brian Deka

Published Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Updated Friday, Oct. 2, 2015 | 11:15 a.m.

Clark County honored another member of the legendary Rat Pack today when a stretch of Industrial Road got a new name: Sammy Davis Jr. Drive.

The name change affected 1.8 miles of Industrial Road from Sahara Avenue to the intersection of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra drives behind the Mirage.

“Sammy Davis Jr. and the rest of the Rat Pack put Las Vegas on the map,” Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani said in a news release. “Now we are literally putting Sammy on the map and reuniting him with the rest of the Rat Pack for the first time in decades. This is great for Las Vegas, great for Sammy and his children, and great for the businesses along this corridor.”

Davis died in 1990 of complications from throat cancer at age 64.

“When Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra descended on the city of Las Vegas in the ’60s, while making ‘Ocean’s 11’ during the daytime and performing all night in the city that they loved so much, I'm pretty sure that they never imagined that on Sept. 29, 2015, they would all be immortalized on the same streets that made them legends,” Manny Davis, the performer’s son, said in the release.

This morning, Davis’ family, county officials and others unveiled the first new street sign where Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin drives meet.

Within a day, the county will replace 10 other signs along Industrial Road.

The entertainers, who brought their own brand of cool to Las Vegas, aren’t the only people immortalized on street signs in the Las Vegas Valley. Here are some others:

Martin Luther King Boulevard: Hundreds of streets across the United States, including the former Highland Drive in Clark County, were renamed for the civil-rights leader after he was killed in 1968. The boulevard, which connects downtown Las Vegas with North Las Vegas, runs through an older and predominantly black neighborhood known as West Las Vegas.

Wayne Newton Boulevard/Wright Brothers Lane: The road that serves Terminal 1 at McCarran International Airport is named in honor of Newton, the performer known as Mr. Las Vegas. A side street at the airport is named for the aviation pioneers who invented and flew the world’s first successful airplane.

Roy Horn Way/Jerry Tarkanian Way/Raphael Rivera Way/Brent Thurman Way: The frontage roads that parallel the 215 Beltway in the southwest valley are named for four people: Horn is half of the Siegfried & Roy duo, which performed stage magic for years on the Strip; he nearly died when he was bitten by a white tiger during a show in 2003. Tarkanian, who died in February, was the basketball coach who led the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels to 1990 NCAA championship. Rivera was a Mexican scout and the first non-Native American to enter the Las Vegas Valley. Thurman died after being injured while competing in the 1994 National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Jay Sarno Way/Stan Mallin Drive: On either side of the Forum Shops at Caesars are streets that honor two men who were integral to Las Vegas’ growth during the 1960s. Sarno and Mallin, his business partner, opened Caesars Palace in 1966 and Circus Circus in 1968.

Bugsy Siegal Circle: Yes, this small street near West Ann Road and North Grand Canyon Drive is named for the mobster who opened the Flamingo. No, that’s not how to spell his last name: Siegel. According to a story in the Los Angeles Times, the street signs were in place before anyone noticed the typo.

Buddy Holly Court/Del Shannon Street: A neighborhood near West Washburn Road and North Decatur Boulevard in North Las Vegas has streets honoring two legends of early rock ’n’ roll. There’s also a Checker Way; did “Chubby Checker Way” not fit on the street signs?

Buzz Aldrin Drive: This street near Centennial High School in the northwest valley intersects Launching Pad Avenue. Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon, is the only astronaut immortalized in the space-themed neighborhood.

McCartney Court: A Henderson neighborhood includes Beatles-themed street names, but only one street is named for a member of the band: bass player Paul McCartney. Others include Magical Mystery Lane and Yesterday Drive.

Houdini Street: Just off Boulder Highway and South Magic Way is a street honoring the late Harry Houdini, a performer known for his escape acts. The area also includes Hocus Pocus Place and Abracadabra Avenue.

Joe W. Brown Drive: Running between the Las Vegas Country Club and the Las Vegas Convention Center is a street named for the man who bought Benny Binion’s share of Binion’s Horseshoe when Binion was in prison for tax evasion. When Brown was in charge, he installed a $1 million display on the casino floor; a different version of that display remains today.

Scott Robinson Boulevard: Robinson, who died in 1972, was an investor in Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn, one of the Strip’s early resorts. The boulevard, which parallels Martin Luther King Boulevard, runs from Cheyenne Avenue to Craig Road and from Lone Mountain to Washburn roads.

John Wayne Street/Marion Morrison Court/Burt Lancaster Court: Near East Cactus Avenue and Bermuda Road are three small streets that honor movie stars from a bygone era — although two of them are named for the same man. John Wayne was the stage name of Marion Morrison.

Jimmy Durante Boulevard: Running from Flamingo Road to Tropicana Avenue, the boulevard is named for the television, radio and vaudeville star, who died in 1980. Durante, a frequent Las Vegas performer, was known for his big nose, New York accent, raspy singing voice and songs such as “Inka Dinka Doo.”

Mel Torme Way: This street goes southeast from Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, next to Fashion Show mall, to the parking areas near Treasure Island and the Mirage. Torme, nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was a jazz musician and singer who also made appearances as a television and movie actor. He died in 1999.

Fremont Street: Perhaps the second-most-famous street in the valley after the Strip, Fremont Street is named for explorer John C. Fremont. In 1925, it became Las Vegas’ first paved street; in 1931, it was the site of the city’s first traffic light.

Brian Deka can be reached at 702-259-4073 or [email protected]. Follow Brian on Twitter at twitter.com/briandeka.