PRESS RELEASES For Immediate Release November 26, 2007 Contact: Melanie Coffee - (702) 387-6366 email: mcoffee@lasvegasnevada.gov or Dorothy Wright - (702) 332-7366 email: drw@co.clark.nv.us LA CONCHA RE-ASSEMBLY STARTS NOV. 30 Neon Museum Kicks Off Building Project at Neon Boneyard The Neon Museum will kick off the reassembly of the historic La Concha Motel Lobby, which will serve as part of their new museum building, with a ceremony on Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Blvd. N. and McWilliams Street. Mayor Oscar Goodman will speak, as will members of the Neon Museum board. Representatives of the project's architect, The Friedmutter Group, will show large-scale renderings of the Neon Museum's planned building. Friedmutter has donated all their services to the Neon Museum. The completion of the project will mean that the Neon Museum's outdoor display of rescued Las Vegas neon signs will be more available to the public, with regular hours of admission. Currently tours of the neon "boneyard" are available by appointment only. The Neon Museum, a non-profit organization, has received grants and donations from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Nevada Commission for Cultural Affairs, the City of Las Vegas Centennial Committee, the Nevada legislature, and many private donors. The La Concha Motel Lobby, which is listed on the City's Historic Register, was designed in 1961 by the renowned African-American architect Paul Revere Williams for the motel's owners, the Doumani family. The building has been praised as an excellent example of mid-century modern archictecture with its swooping shell-shape. The Doumani family donated the building to the Neon Museum. The family delayed the La Concha's demolition until the Museum raised funds a year ago to cut the building in pieces and move it to the museum site. For information contact Melanie Coffee at the Neon Museum office at 387-6366 or go to www.neonmuseum.org. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 12, 2006 HISTORIC LA CONCHA MOTEL TO BE RELOCATED Landmark 1960's Building to Become New Home to Neon Museum Visitor's Center One of the last historic buildings located on the Las Vegas Strip is set to be relocated. The landmark La Concha lobby, located at 2955 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, will be dismantled and transported to its new location at the Neon Boneyard where it will become a visitor's center, gallery and gift shop for the Neon Museum. The five day moving project will begin on December 18th at 8:00 am. The moving team, consisting of the Neon Museum, Green and Associates, the Friedmutter Group architects, Flagship Construction and Construction Consultants, will cut the building into pieces, then move them individually to the Boneyard. The building will be reassembled in 2007. La Concha Motel was built in 1961 by Paul Revere Williams, the country's first acclaimed African-American architect. The building is considered a prime example of "mid-century modern style" and was an architectural and engineering marvel at the time it was constructed. With soaring arches and thin-shelled poured concrete, the building exemplifies a style of design and technology rarely seen today. Williams is known as one of the foremost architects of southern California, producing and designing many well-known buildings during his almost 60 year career. He is credited with designing (either completely or in part) the Shrine Auditorium, the Beverly Hills Hotel, Saks Fifth Avenue (Beverly Hills) and the renovation of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He was also the first African American to be named a Fellow of the prestigious American Institute of Architects. Built for and owned by the Doumani family, La Concha was donated by the family to the Neon Museum in order to preserve this unique example of 1960's style architecture. The land where La Concha currently resides will be used for the upcoming Majestic Resorts project. Phase 1 of the relocation project, the moving of the building, will cost approximately $500,000. Funding for the moving project has been provided by the Las Vegas Commission for the Centennial, the City of Las Vegas and the Nevada Commission on Cultural Affairs, with the largest gift bestowed by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Authority. Friedmutter is providing their services pro bono. The Neon Museum is receiving estimates and seeking donations for phase 2 of the project, the reassembly of the building at the permanent site. "The La Concha building represents a special, nostalgic period of time in Las Vegas' history," says Rossi Ralenkotter, president and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Because of its significance, both architecturally and historically, we felt it was important to preserve this unique building. By relocating it to the Neon Museum, we believe both residents and visitors alike will enjoy the opportunity to experience classic Las Vegas once again." The opportunity to save La Concha was a turning point for the museum, according to Dorothy Wright, member of the board of directors for the Neon Museum and project manager for the move. "The building would have been destroyed had it not been for the support of our community and local businesses," she says. "Through the generosity of the Southern Nevada community, we have been able to save this piece of history and demonstrate our commitment to historic preservation. We are thrilled to have this beautiful building as our new 'home base' for the Neon Museum and look forward to reconstructing the facility in 2007." The Neon Museum is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Las Vegas through the collection, restoration and preservation of the city's most iconic signs and artifacts. Established in 1996, the Neon Museum features classic neon signs from the 1940's to today. The collection is displayed as public art throughout the downtown area, with many pieces located along the Fremont Street Experience. Additional signs are housed inside the Neon Boneyard. The Boneyard is available for group tours by appointment only (www.neonmuseum.org). Donations to the Neon Museum are also accepted through the website. For more information on the moving of La Concha, please contact Debi Puccinelli at 702/469-6273. --END-- Neon Night Fundraiser Saves Historic La Concha Successful Night of Giving Highlights Las Vegas Preservation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: May 19, 2006 Contact: Mark Fierro (702) 385-7300 or 743-0816 Las Vegas - The La Concha motel will forever be a part of Las Vegas history thanks to the highly successful Neon Night, which was recently held at the Plaza Hotel & Casino in downtown Las Vegas. The Neon Museum's fundraiser held in May brought in the necessary funds to reach their $600,000 goal to save the uniquely designed La Concha lobby, which was scheduled to be torn down. The lobby will now be taken apart and preserved before moving it to its new home at the Museum's permanent site for development into a visitor center and for the continued growth of the organization. "With the generosity shown by our guests and the entire Southern Nevada Community, we were able to achieve our ultimate goal of saving the La Concha," said Mary Jane Jarvis, event coordinator and board member for The Neon Museum. "The tremendous outpouring of support shows that there is a commitment to historic preservation in Las Vegas, and we're proud to be on the forefront of that effort." Held at the Plaza's Centerstage Italian Chophouse, Neon Night also helped its ongoing goal of preserving the flashy signs and artifacts of old Las Vegas, many of which are featured at The Neon Museum's Boneyard as well as on the Fremont Street. Several of Las Vegas community leaders attended the event as well as numerous artists and concerned residents. The event featured food catered by downtown restaurants including Andre's, Tinoco's Triple George Grill, Golden Gate, Hugos and many more. Guests were also treated to wine-tasting by DeLuca Liquors, a silent auction and a tour of The Neon Museum's Boneyard. The Neon Museum's mission is to collect, preserve, study and exhibit neon signs and associated artifacts to inspire educational and cultural enrichment for diverse members of the international community. Its collection ranges from the 1940s to present day. Some pieces are restored as public art and mapped for its walking Tour. Others are kept in the Boneyard which is open by appointment only. Educational programming revolves around history, design and popular culture primarily focused on Las Vegas. -- END -- .

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