FADED GLORY

Vegas Vic is in a bad way these days, but a posse is forming to renovate the downtown landmark.

By Mike Zapler
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Vegas Vic needs surgery. He looks like he's dying.

In his heyday, the 40-foot-high neon cowboy towered over Fremont Street, directing customers into the Pioneer Club. San Francisco columnist Herb Caen, now deceased, once joked that while Vic's voice bellowed "Howdy, Partner," his wink said, "Howdy, Sucker."

But Vic is in poor shape now. Only half of his body, including one of his two eyes, lights up at night. His waving arm hasn't worked for years. His colorful clothes have faded and peeled.

And his once dominating figure looks unimposing under the massive Fremont Street Experience canopy, which opened in 1995.

"It's nothing like it used to be when you'd come downtown," said Tony Mecca, a 10-year Las Vegas resident who interrupted an evening stroll under the Fremont Street Experience last week to look at Vic. "In top shape, he was sharp. People used to come down here to look at him. Not anymore."

While Vic isn't likely to return to his former glory, a group of downtown activists wants him restored. They say Vic's owner, Schiff Enterprises, has allowed the sign to deteriorate since acquiring it in 1998.

"It's a wonderful sign and we want to help it in any way that we can," said Nancy Deaner of the city of Las Vegas cultural affairs division. She is a member of the Neon Museum Corp., a nonprofit group that tries to preserve old Las Vegas signs.

Deaner and Fremont Street Experience President Mark Paris have proposed a deal with Schiff Enterprises. The Neon Museum would restore and maintain Vegas Vic, while Schiff Enterprises would pay the electricity bills for him and retain ownership and intellectual property rights.

But if Schiff Enterprises sold or moved out of the building underneath Vic where it currently has a souvenir shop, the Neon Museum would acquire Vic for free.

John LaFronz, a Schiff Enterprises director, rejected the proposal in an August memo to Paris. He said the company would take care of Vic.

"Our sign company is initiating a refurbishment of Vegas Vic this week," LaFronz wrote on Aug. 24. "Our intent is to first have his neon repaired as necessary, so that he shows well at night, then follow up with fresh paint and whatever else is necessary. (We) share your concern for Vegas Vic and look to have him in good condition shortly."

But Vic hasn't improved since the letter. LaFronz was out of town the past week and unavailable for comment. Rod Snyder, an accountant for Schiff Enterprises, said the company "is going to do a total renovation. I know they respect the historical significance of Vegas Vic and want to bring it back to where it once was."

Snyder did not know when the renovation would begin.

Paris said Vic's condition is hurting downtown and is one reason the Experience, made up of downtown casinos, got involved. He said several movie and TV shows have asked permission to shoot Vic, but passed when they saw how he looked.

The latest example, said Paris, was "Get Carter," an upcoming film featuring Sylvester Stallone.

"Movies, magazines, music videos, TV shows -- they've all called and asked us if we can fix Vegas Vic so they can shoot it," Paris said. "Now they shoot around it because it's not properly cared for."

Vegas Vic has a long history. Erected in 1951, he is perhaps the most enduring symbol of "old Las Vegas."

"One of the interesting things about Vegas Vic is that he had his origins in an advertising campaign promoting Las Vegas after World War II," said Nevada historian Frank Wright. "The advertising campaign featured a smiling cowboy, which is the model for Vegas Vic."

Vic's booming voice was silenced in 1966, when actors Lee Marvin and Woody Strode complained about him during a stay at the Mint hotel. They were filming "The Professionals" at Valley of Fire State Park.

Vic's arm stopped waving in 1991. "I think it looks better not moving," former Pioneer owner William Richardson said at the time. Paris said the Neon Museum wants to fix the arm.

In 1994, Vic's cowboy hat was pared several feet to make room for the Experience canopy.

Vic's partner, the 20-year-old Vegas Vicky atop the Glitter Gulch topless club across the street, remains in good shape.