LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Much like last year when Vegas Vic, a pillar of Fremont Street for seven decades, needed a good repair, his look-alike in West Wendover just got a major facelift.
Vic’s neon family is bigger than you might think.
“His spouse Vegas Vicky is in Circa,” Jeff Young, Executive Vice President of YESCO Custom Electric Signs, explained. “But many people don’t know that Vegas Vic has a first cousin up in northern Nevada in West Wendover.”
Wendover Will is 72 years old, making him one year younger than Vic, although he is about 25 feet taller. Like Vic, he was built by YESCO, and has also recently been in need of repairs.
“The city of West Wendover asked us if we would consider a massive upgrade,” Young recalled. “So, we could almost consider calling him Makeover Will…complete repaint, all new lighting system.”
That new lighting system is LED, which replaces the more traditional neon. Young explains this makes Will more cost-effective and easier to maintain, but it likely won’t be in Vic’s future.
“I don’t envision Vegas Vic would ever convert over to LED,” he said confidently.
Sticking with neon for Vic means more constant work being done on the Fremont icon.
“We were out twice in November with Vic and again in December,” Young said. “We were out just a couple weeks ago fixing more.”
Vic’s upkeep is included in the nationwide effort by YESCO to find signs in need of repair.
“In terms of active, ongoing orders, they number in the thousands and thousands and thousands,” Young said.
But these two cousins literally stand above the rest.
“Not only to have created them, but to be the caretakers of them,” Young said about the two giant cowboys. “And that’s really an honor for us.”
Wendover Will’s makeover cost the city of West Wendover about $175,000.
Copyright 2024 KVVU. All rights reserved.
