Sahara Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

The Sahara Las Vegas Hotel & Casino first opened in 1952, as the sixth casino resort on the Strip. In 1956, an expansion to the property included the construction of a 14-story tower designed by Martin Stern, Jr., a Los Angeles-based architect.

When gambling halls and casinos opened along Fremont Street, they were essentially part of the sidewalk, with signs set at pedestrian-level targeting passersby. As casinos and sign designs evolved in downtown, a large number of businesses essentially became walk-in sign structures with air-curtain entrances for guests arriving on foot either from the nearby railroad depots or from the parking lots behind the gaming establishments. In the early 1970s, Las Vegas’ approach to sign design took a new turn, with the porte-cochère now becoming the major focus of innovation. Usually an extension of the building proper, a porte-cochère is a structure that covers a main entrance large enough for vehicular traffic to pass beneath, allowing passengers to enter or descend of a vehicle while protected from the elements.

During the 1990s, the Sahara underwent an extensive renovation where the work of architects and sign designers was effectively intertwined, resulting in an entirely new façade for the property, featuring a large pylon, various independent illuminated signs, and an extensive overhead dome-shaped Moroccan-style porte-cochère, measuring 140-feet high and 200-feet in diameter. The Sahara sign at The Neon Boneyard, was once located on the eastern side of the Sahara property, serving a similar function to the much larger porte-cochères on the other sides of the property, albeit in a smaller capacity. Contemporary sign architecture has become larger and the lighting underneath more pronounced as properties have vied for increased visibility. The porte-cochère today continues to be a major focus of innovation in the ever-evolving field of sign design.