Solar energy to power iconic Vegas welcome sign

FILE - This July 28, 2005 file photo shows an electric company worker changing ballasts and lamps on the "Welcome to Las Vegas," sign in Las Vegas, Nev. Deals for round-trip airfare to Vegas along with inexpensive hotel packages are among the last-minute offers that travelers with flexible vacation schedules can find online, but the ability to book fast before the deals disappear is often key. (AP Photo/Joe Cavaretta, file) AP

By Legacy User

1 minute to read

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Officials in Las Vegas are harnessing the power of the sun to light the city’s iconic welcome sign.

Elected officials and project leaders flipped a switch Wednesday linking solar panels on 25-foot towers to the glittering neon ‘‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’’ sign.

The project was headed by the Green Chips and Clean Energy Project nonprofit organizations, and funded by the Consumer Electronics Association, electric utility NV Energy, the Las Vegas Centennial Commission and Bombard Renewable Energy.

The new power source is the latest upgrade for the sign designed by Betty Willis and installed in 1959 in a traffic median on the Las Vegas Strip.

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A parking lot for private vehicles and tour buses was expanded in 2012 to make access to the sign safer for picture-takers.

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