Check out old Vegas in all its nostalgic glory — at a cut-rate price today

Longtime Las Vegans with last names such as Doumani, Molasky, Tarkanian, Foley, Wright, Richardson, Segerblom and Goodman stood in the dirt, smiling in delight, looking up at a significant accomplishment overhead.

The 28-foot-high shell of the La Concha Motel lobby had been split into eight pieces, relocated and successfully reassembled at its new home at the Neon Museum, a delicate job since the concrete was less than four inches thick and held together by a spider web of rebar.

Most of the 150 people there Wednesday had aided in raising the $1 million to preserve it. And most had their own memories of the motel, built in 1961.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman smiled broadly when asked to share his memories, and then refused. Clearly, they were memories of his “mob lawyer” days. Now he has new memories of helping the Neon Museum stride toward its goal of becoming one of the focal points of the city’s cultural corridor, joining Cashman Center, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, the Old Mormon Fort, the Reed Whipple Cultural Center, the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum and the Las Vegas Library.

“It’s ironic that I experienced both phases of this iconic building,” Goodman said. “It truly would be a tragedy if this was made into rubble.”

It almost was rubble, until the Doumani family donated the historic shell to the Neon Museum and the museum members raised the money needed to slice it, truck it and re-assemble it, a job completed about a month ago.

Native Las Vegan Bill Marion stood beneath the reconstructed shell, and felt his perspective change. In his younger days, driving by the motel, the blue light shining from the shell made La Concha mysterious. “It was a larger than life building then,” Marion said. As the hotels around it became hi-rises, the motel seemed to shrink. Now that it’s at the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard, south of Cashman Field, it’s once again imposing.

Museum board members hope to have the museum open to the public in 2009 and the La Concha will be the lobby and entrance to the Neon Boneyard.

As I strolled through the Boneyard, it sounded like I had asthma the way I gasped, recognizing signs that were familiar old friends. The Boyd Group donated the classic Stardust sign, and paid the $100,000 to move it to the Boneyard. Nearby is the old Golden Nugget sign. A sign from Caesars. The Sahara. Binion’s. The Green Shack. Anderson Dairy. The Desert Rose. The Tam O’Shanter. Each one brought back memories of good times, good food or good places. Anybody remember necking at the Fox Theater at the Charleston Plaza Mall?

Man-sized letters spelling “casino” leaned against the gigantic pirate skull from the Treasure Island. To make a statement, some wag had moved the c, a, and o behind, leaving “sin.”

The Boneyard has obtained millions of dollars of publicity (and raised money for its continuing efforts) by becoming a site for special events. The television show “CSI” featured a corpse sprawled on a sign. The History Channel and Travel Channel have aired shows about the Boneyard. Harper’s and Vogue have done fashion shoots there. Musicians have shot videos there, including the Killers and Evanescence, which aired its video on the 2004 Billboard Awards.

“It’s used frequently because it’s so unique,” Marion said, estimating the Boneyard has already received $3 million in free advertising so far, just through the music videos and television shows.

Historic preservationist Steve Evans compared the Neon Museum to Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell, evoking the memories of our past. “We may not have Paul Revere, but we do have Paul Revere Williams,” he said, referring to the noted black architect who designed La Concha. “We may not have the Liberty Bell, but Philadelphia doesn’t have the Silver Slipper.”

Now that’s perspective. But I do have fond memories of the Silver Slipper. And like Mayor Goodman, I’m not telling.

Normally, the Neon Museum schedules Boneyard tours for $15 a person by appointment only.

But today, for $5, you can check out the La Concha and either wander through on your own between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., or join a tour at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. noon or 1 p.m.

More information is available at 387-6336 or www.neonmuseum.org.

Jane Ann Morrison’s column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275.