Los Angeles: Santa Monica Pier's 85-year-old sign comes down for Las Vegas restoration

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The main portion of the historic Santa Monica Pier sign was removed on Friday, October 23, according to the City of Santa Monica, as reported by MyNewsLA. Removal had been scheduled for Thursday but was postponed a day because pre-removal and pre-rigging preparations took longer than expected; the sign's upper crown had already come down on Wednesday, and its neon tubing had been stripped.

The sign has welcomed visitors to the Santa Monica Pier since 1941 and is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources. Its removal is part of the Pier Bridge Replacement Project.

The sign will be carefully wrapped and loaded onto transport vehicles, with departure for Las Vegas expected Monday, October 26. It will be repaired by YESCO, a company known for restoring neon signs, including the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. The work covers neon tubing repairs, rust removal, repainting and structural work, preserving the sign's historic features.

It will stay in storage in Nevada while construction of the replacement bridge continues. City officials said the restored landmark is expected to return to the pier entrance in 2028, when the bridge is completed, installed at a slightly higher elevation to improve visibility and give vehicles more clearance.

While the original is away, visitors can still pose for photos with a half-scale replica installed on the pier, on the left side just before Pier Burger, with views of the Pacific Park roller coaster and the Santa Monica shoreline.