The Neon Museum’s largest restoration project.

The Hard Rock Café debuted just off the Las Vegas Strip along Paradise Road in 1990. Modeled after a Gibson Les Paul played by Pete Townshend of The Who, it stood for 26 years before being taken down in 2017.

The restored sign consists of approximately 4,110 feet of neon tubing, which is over ¾ of a mile. The Hard Rock Café guitar restoration was made possible by generous donors from around the world, contributing $350,000 to restore the sign and provide for its ongoing care.

The Las Vegas Hard Rock Café Guitar Sign

 

Neon guitar signs became the symbol world-wide for the Hard Rock brand.  This Las Vegas guitar sign is important because it was the flagship -- the first Hard Rock Café guitar sign in the world.  It graced the corner of Paradise Road and Harmon Avenue from 1990 – 2017 and was featured in Hollywood films like Honey I Blew Up the Kid and National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation.

 

The restoration project involved an estimated 1,650 man hours which included rebuilding the sign in six sections: four body sections, one neck section and one head section.  The letters spelling “Hard Rock Café” consist of 1,538 10-watt clear incandescent light bulbs.  Approximately 4,110 feet -- more than three quarters of a mile -- of neon tubing glows on the sign with more than 700 individual neon units.  Neon colors used in the sign are Ruby Red, Clear Red, 3500K White and Yellow Gold II.  The sign majestically stands more than 80-feet tall with a 24-foot girth.  

 

The Restoration Campaign

 

YESCO donated the guitar sign to the Neon Museum in 2017.  On November 27, 2017, the Museum launched a crowdfunding campaign to restore the sign, install it in the Neon Boneyard and establish an endowment for its ongoing maintenance.   The campaign quickly gained global attention with generous individuals and businesses contributing from 13 countries around the world including Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.  In the United States, donors contributed from 42 States and U.S. territories including Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. 

 

 

The switch was flipped to officially light the restored Las Vegas Hard Rock Café guitar sign on March 4, 2019 during a celebration honoring the donors whose generosity made this restoration possible.  

Rock Legend Donors
Cashman Family Foundation
YESCO

Rock Star Donors
Roxy & Alise Roxborough
Joey & Sherry Marlow
Mark & Michelle Rimler
Southwest Gas Corporation
Foundation
Seminole Tribe of Florida
NTJ & CW

 

Rockin' Neon Donors

Anonymous
Mr. & Mrs. Travis Bird
Curt John Carlson, AIA
Ronald Cluett
Steve, Kelly, Hanna Ellman
Findlay Automotive Group
Tim & Amy Hunter
Jerry's Nugget Casino
Michelle & Gerald Jones
Yvonne & Damien Jordan
Michael & Carolyn Keller Family
Alan Reed
Rob & Teri McCoy
Scott & Brenda Moraine
LeAnne & John Notabartolo
Stephen J. Pieknik
Elle Gaensslen & John Restrepo
Kay & Robert Stoldal
John Tippins & Missy Braman
Wendy Van Vacter
Rita Volp & Gary Cole
W. Scott Warner, MD

 

Neon Guitar Donors

Michelle Attard & Carey Wykoff

Scott Baright

Alison Barkley & David Haworth

Sam & Heather Beaird

Jon & Shona Binkowski

David & Brenda Bogue Family

Matt & Noah BC

Eric & Angela Cantor

Cathy & Rick Chance

Doug Dencker

Donna Engellenner

Benjamin Ferron

The Fersdahl Family

Revel Media Group

Vegas4Visitors.com

PROOF Interactive

Mike & Ann Gersie

Jaclyn & Rob Diaz, Jr.

Marc Gollob & Sandra Gollob

Haco Lichtreklame BV

Tim & Lori Hale

The Hartlauer Signs Family

The Hayes Family

Rock On Katie Holloway

Susan Houston

Jacobson & Associates Healthcare Consulting, LLC

Courtney & Kristin Kilarski

Kent, Dia & Kali Knudson

Erin & Phillip Lavin

Marcy & Johnathan Lennox

Ann Diebel & Keith Lutsch

Lendall & Pamela Mains

Debra Mills & Chuck Berg

Kristine Morris

Bill & Sylvia Noonan

The Olson Sisters

The Patenaude Family

Ron Nungesser

The Vox Agency

Lisa & David Riggleman

Roger & Katherine Roden

The Rongavilla Family

Michael & Geri Rumbolz

The Schueller Family

Brandy Spears & Michael Spears

Tom Strange & Tony Ptak

Jeff & Brook Stratton

The Terry Family

Colby Tiffee & Family

Mr. & Mrs. Karl Unkel

Ruth & Andy Urban

Rita Volp

John & Anastasia Wald

Chris Watts

The Wolfman Family

Nancy Wong & Steven Seroka

 

In-Kind Benefactors

YESCO

Jerry Misko & Polly Weinstein 

Michelle & Gerald Jones

Darrell Clulow

Events with A Twist, LLC

The AV Vegas Family

Cut & Taste

O. Kheir

Caesars Entertainment

Current Events, LLC

Glowing Guitar Donors

Brianne & Tyler J. Adams

Rodney & Louise Ahrens

Vince Alberta

Greg & Vanessa Anderson

Ian Ardley

Sandi & Nick Aretino

Joan T. Armbruster

Helen B. Arnold

Mr. Timothy B. De Loach

Steven P. Athanas

Chuck Bamford & Yvonne Hinson

Flynn Barkan Family

Virginia & Kevin Barnes

JB Krewe

Damien & Kim Bauman & Family

Frances & Arthur Block

Arlene & Jerome L. Blut

Mark & Michelle Bonavita

Janice Brasher

Pamela Brennan

Tristan Britt & Megan Ruckstuhl

Bob & Melinda Brown

Pam & Randy Buck

Denise Rosch & Jim Buczek

Lindsay Buczek

Gregg Burgess & Peter Kaldes

Eddie O. & The Calleri Family

Joseph Canning

Mr. and Mrs. Brad Carlson

Patrick Casanova

Mariefe & Abraham Castro

Janeen Steel & Mark Challed

The Charles Family

Libbey Chiodo

Debra & Mitchell Cohen

Karen & Archie Colburn

Warren Conard

Chris & John Constable

Scott E. Coraci

Kevin Corbett & Laura Staller

Carl Cordes & Brenda Harris

April Corella

James Couper

Michael Cowie & Michelle Dowd

Kelly Crahan

The Dake Family

Lauren Darnielle

Krista & Rick Darnold

Bunkers Mortuary

Lee Cagley & Larry Davis

The DeBonis Family

Luana DeVol

Carlos R. & Yvette Espinoza

Dean & Connie Dike

Zoë Camper & Peter Downie

Chris & Tony Doyle

The Brians Eagan & Knudsen

Kenneth Edwards

Thomas Booth

Rachel & Gary Engster

Rob Ernst & Denise Holst

Harry A. Escarge

S.D. & S.L. Campbell

Lori Feiro

Sean & Katie Fellows

The Figueroa Family

The Finley Family

Barbara Finn

Sean Free & Rich Lamkin

Ramon, Diane, Felicia & Michael Galindo

John Chronister

Tonya Geldbach

Gretchen Gerbic

Susan Gibson

Julie Gilday-Shaffer & Vince Shaffer

Kim Kuttner Goldberg & Barry Goldberg

Patricia Skaja

Mr. & Mrs. Cisco Gonzalez

Carolyn & Oscar Goodman

Alden D. Grant

The Grasewicz Family

Alex Greig

Bruce & Linda Grider

Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy Farnes

Greg & Marie Grzesik

Jordan Guesman

Mr. & Mrs. Jason Gurka

Shawn Hanson

Kyle B. Harris

Mary Beth Hartleb

Martin Hawkinson

Tom Hawley

The Henderson Chamber

Mike Hendricks

Jeremy Hilsabeck

Mark & Tondi Hobaica

Paula Huckaby & Steve Brandon

Jason & Veronica Hunt

Lauryn Hunter & Stephanie Jaramillo

Todd & Seena Hyde

Donald Jackson & Kimberly Jackson

Edward Janov

Sandy & K.T. Johnson

Louise Jones

Debbi Josephson & Larry Josephson

Albert & Audrey Kammerer

retroplanet.com

Joe & Debbie Kerzic

Jason & Jessica Kimbel

Amber & Lawrence

John Klai & Jon Sparer

Scott Klapman

The Kleven Family

The Phase

Kevin S. Kraft

The Kraynak Family

Leonard Kreppel

James Tug Taylor

Reed G. Larson

Jackie Lee & Michael Ferreira

Joe & Yael Levin

Dan & Sian Lewry

Tom Fogerty

Tom Liebengood

Lynne & Edwin Locke

Tom & Mary Lopez

Viva Las Vegas Elvis Presley Fan Club

Ali & Oliver Lueker

Tim & Heidi Mader

Dennis Mar

Robert Margison

Bill & Renee Marion

Mr. & Mrs. Martel

Greg Matsunami & Mike PeQueen

CORE Construction

Rex & Sandy Windom

Donald & Sally McKegg

Sherri McKenzie

Miranda Beckum

Scott Muelrath

Darren Murray

Dedee Maurer Nave

Vincent Nave

The Regev Family

Francis & Leah Nygryn

Gwen Offutt

Denise & Stan Olsen

The Clancys

GenesisDG

Anne-Charlotte Patterson & Terrell Cooksey

Jim & Donna Pearce

John Peiser

Mario Persch

Jacqueline Peterson & Karlos R. LaSane, II

Colin Rosswell Clarke

The Pourciau Family

John Prine & Bleyer Schneider

David & Julia Prohaska

David & Carolyn Purcell

Chris & Kristen Race

Mr. & Mrs. Rossi Ralenkotter

Tony Rastall

Suzy & Terry Regan

Claude Balls

Jeffrey C. Roberts Enterprise Trust

Nancy M. Rodriguez

Robert & Stacy Rohr

Norma Stoliar

Robert Rueter

Mr. & Mrs. Mac Rush

Parker Rush

Wayne Russell & Samantha Sender

FireStar Speaking

The Samuelson Family

Jay & Julie Sarno

Sue Schwartz

Jonathan & Cindy Seigle

Charles & Donna Silber

Brad & Tammi Skrhak

Jim & Gail Smalley

Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Smith

Positec Tool Corporation

Brett W. Smith

Tommy & Michelle South

Jessie Spears & Krysta Spears

The Spotleson Family

Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Spry

Mr. & Mrs. Cliff Thumma

Stephen & Alexandria Storey

Gloria Sturman

Vincent Tatum

Madison River Ranch

Patricia Thacker

Las Vegas Jam Band Society

Laura & Sylvain Tron

Martin Tull

The Tulman Family

Rachel Wells & David Shor

Jen & Davin Uurtamo

Michael Vetrano & Alessandro Michelli

Alan Von Ah & Jacqueline Von Ah

Falk Wagenbach & Gwen Utitz

Aaron S. Wallen, Ph.D.

Cindy, Mark, Adam & Sarah Warso

Joe & Becky WaZoo

Rob & Terri Weisbord

Bev Wesner

The Lost Hikers

Meghan & Jon Wheeler

Rob & Diana Whittemore

Kelly Wilden & Brad Sherwood

WIll & Anne WIley

The Barron-Yu Family

Lydia Zeller & Rick Zeller

Musical Neon Donors

Anonymous

The Aamodt Family

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Amor

Karin Amstein & Claude Liechti

Tim Aten

Desi & Avi

CEBACK

Bo & Karen Beale

Sharona & Chana Baichman

Charles Ballard & Dana Janquitto

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Barrett

The Beausoleil Family

Andrew Vickery

Patricia Belknap

Mary & Doug Berg

Dr. Suzanne Bergfalk

Michael B. Besendahl

Michael Blishak

The Block Family

Ben Hohman & Marielle Boneau

Bill Boone & Pam Hoover

Ronnie & Steve Bromberg

David B. Brown & Tammy C. Brown

Michael Brown

Kent & Susan Brown

Senator Richard Bryan

Stefanie Budkammer & Andreas Ulbrich

GB Bulla

Bob Burkhart

Richard Froggatt

Alexander Carlock

Diane M. Carlson

Kaan Cesur

Dave Ceule

James V. Chaps

Athena Chatelain

Mac Chiulli & Bob Moore

Sean Clark & Linda Smith

Norm & Cara Clarke

Russell & Angela Clay

Robert Coffin

Patrick B. Coleman

Kathy Combs

Aaron Cooper

Mr. & Mrs. Bert Cooper

Phyllis Corley & Wes Corley

Brigid Corrigan

Debbie Costa

Alaina Cowley & Eric Prato

John Carmichael & Laura Crew

Robert Crutchfield

Mike & Kim Cunningham

David & Jami Daniel

Rick & Cathy Rogers

Dale Dawson

Beth, Allison, Charley & Avery

Patrick Day

Holger & Sofia de Almeida

Tony & Kelli DeMonte

Jo DenDekker

Bev & Jim

Sallie Doebler

Iris Waga & Uwe Doerrenhaus

Rob & Megan Dokuchie

Mike Dolan

Kevin Ward & Tracy Doyle

Stephanie & Anthony Grassi

Letha Drury & Hilary Brown

Mr. & Mrs. Clark Dumont

The Dunkle Family

Corin Dunne

JoAnn C. Dunne

William L. Dunne

Duran Studio

Ted & Debbie Dykstra

Kimberly Ellsworth-Flores

Lesley Jo & Suzzie Embrey

Laura Emerson & Steve Diggins

Lauren Erker

Stephen Evans

Steve Feiler

Catherine Fendall

Edward & Katie Ferguson

Craig & Marisa Finetti

Laurita Fitzgerald

Aus Tim & Kylie Fletcher

Atticus Flores

Bobby & Bridgit Fly

Brian & Kara French

Jim & Michelle Galvin

Andrea Gaminara-Hostalek

Ellie & Bert Gamo

Joshua & Rachel Gebur

Anthony M. Geraldi

Bradley Getsfred

Brandon Cheryl & Sarah Gill

Berny Gilson & Susi Oberhelman

Familia Gimenez

Irene Aloisio & Mattia Giorgi

Andi & Kaddi Gohr

Shawn & Hal Goldblatt

Walt & Christinia Golden

Dr. Paul K. Goldsmith & Judith M. Whalen

Adam D. Goodfarb

The Graff Family

The Gray Family

Carol Grosvenor & Marilyn Omemick

Vincente Guillen

Curt Haase & Jon Themann

Jana & Nils Hagen

Haleakala

John & Tami Hall

Taryn Dykstra

Kathy Hamilton & Jan Bittner

Tom Petty

Kristin & Jim Harrington

Richard Hart & Mark Saladino

Chris Grove & Kim Harvey

Mr. & Mrs. Russell Hauer

John & Laura Hawkolito

Patrick & Perks Key

Mr. & Mrs. Frost

Pat & Cyndi Heffling

Mark F. Heinze

Jeffrey & Danielle Hentzen

Laura Herlovich

Hillary Smoot

Sara Ure

Lisa Hendrixson

Sammy Hillery

Diane & Rick Niebur

Lon & Marcia Hoover

David Horne

Jennifer Howard & Andrew O'Donnell

The Hoyt Family

Earth Water Sky

Margo Ivey

Donny B. Jeem

Spencer Henderson

Heidi & Siggy

Bill & Cathy Jezek

Elisabeth  Johnson

Jeff & Courtenay Johnson

Melissa & Roy Kaiser

Lexi Keaton

Joe & Debbie Kerzic

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Khouw

Debra Kleeman

Jennifer Kleven & Michael McDonald

The Klevins Family

Kris Kluempke

Wolfie & Boo

The Kolberg Family

Jeff & Shawn Kominek

Rafal Konopka

Peter Koerner

Lily Kratochwill

Michael A. Krulik

Matthew & Chelsey Kucewicz

Melissa Trax & Adam Kupec

Juelide Lacherbauer & Malte Schultz-Gambard

Alice & David LaGraves

Dixon G. Lamb

Mike Landy

Genesis Layco & Jamie Burdell

Bill & Jen Lee

N. Denise LeNoir

Edward Lewis, IV

Bob Linden

Kris & Allan Liska

Emily & Charley Litt

JR & The Preludes

George & Maruschka Loupis

Larry & Kay Loveall

Brent & Ellen Lyons

Mike Simeone

Peter A. Machon

Jill & David Maguire

Beverly & Alexa Makhani

Scott Malsom

Micheal Manchisi

Matt Marchewski & Tiffany Caracciolo

Janelle Mariani

Joseph & Susan Mariconda

Ryan & Tracey Marshall

Michael & Emily Marx

John S. Masi

Garre & Jan Mathis

Thomas C. Matteo

Gayle & Chuck Mazursky

Janet McCann

Steve McDowell

Danny McGinnis

Mackenzie & John McGowan

Adam & Leesha McIntire

The Geary Company

Carla McMillan

Sarah Mead

Elisa Medeiros

Pamela Meeds Williams & Michael Benton Williams

Kelan Meis

Jackie & Tony Messina

Mike & Nancy Metzler

Travis Middleton

Ralph Migdal

Glen & Stacey Miller

Mr. & Mrs. Warren Miller

C.A. Moomjian Families

The Moore Family

Terry Moore

Kimberly Morgan

Jeff & Lynn Morris

Mark & Madeleine Morris

Mr. Kevin Mulcahy

Sue & Stephen Naglich

The Nazarian Family

Nicole & Jason Norris

M Judith Nortman

Greg Oberjohann

Nancy Olson & Steve Farset

Shannon O'Reilly

Andre Paquin

Dr. Grant Parker, DC.

Jerry Parks

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Paulucci

Mike PeQueen

Paul Schiminsky

Michael Ginsburg

Tod Story

Ariel Luke

Gabriel Di Chiara

Howard Watts III

Leora Olivas

Alex McCann

Stephan Peters

Amy Phelps

Jarrod & Brittany Phillips

Ryan Pierson & Kelly Ek

Shamaine & Rick Pleczko

Vicky & George Pope

Kooza Preece

Jerry & Wendy Pugnetti

Jason & Patti Pyrah

The Reed Family

Gene & Jackie Reeley

Richard D. Rees

James & Deborah Reschke

Kenneth & Susan Richmond

The Riley Family

Manfred Ritter

The Myer & Robbins Family

Mr. & Mrs. Robinson

WinningAngle.com

Dave & Renee Rodabaugh

Stephen Roe

Keith Golding

Simon & Rebecca Rohel

Ryan Romero

Stephanie Frechette

Sharoney Rubinstein

Chris Rucker & Heather Cozzens

Jenni Ruckle

John Ruth

Scot Rutledge

The Sams Family

Donald B. Satterlee

Reinhard Schaffner

Donna Schneider

Fred & Nancy Schpero

Bill & Dawn Schroeder

The Schulein Family

Eli & Karen Schwartz

Darren P. Scott

Cynthia Seixas

Paul Senez

Chris Hodge & Lisa Hodge

Robert Jacobson & Linda Sharrett

Angie & Dietmar Siebenhofer

Simms Family

Hugh & Elaine Sinnock

Darold & Jean Walker

Shane & Melanie Smith

Alex Smits

Patricia E. Snyder & James C. Snyder

Rich Snyder & Linda Jensen

Joshua Reisman & Elizabeth Sorokac

Stacy Sovar

Carolyn M Sparks

HRH Box Office

David Mlnarik

Sarah & Oli

The Robert Stewarts

Rick Stillings

John & Brenda Stock

Jeanmarie Stouffer

Brian Strauss

Oscar Strugstad

Brad & Judy Syrowski

Brandt Taylor

Tom Trott & Cindy Morgan

Panagiote G. Tsolis

Eric Ueda

Doug Unger

Vincent & Martha van Rooijen

Bret, Christel, Brendan, & Bryce Van Tuyle

Russell Vandenbelt, MD

Jennifer C. Vargas

Carmelo Veneziano

Chrissie Veneziano

Jan & Joe Waitz

Timothy J. Walsh

Jeremy & Erin Ward

Chelsea Watson

Polly Weinstein

Kerry Wisniewski & Becky West

Shawn & Andrea Whitmore

Christopher & Lori Wiggenhorn

Spittaz For'Em

Rob & Kiki Wilson

The Wisott Family

Mark & Keren Wojtowicz

Cheryl Wolf

Tom Wynkoop

David & Kathy Yotsuuye

The Zhang Family

 

 

 

 

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