This neon marquee was known as the 'plume sign.' Designed by Bill Clarke of Ad-art, the marquee was made to look like a massive pile of feathers from a flamingo. In 1968, the Flamingo added a new massive marquee. In 1953, the Flamingo added what is known as the 'Champagne Tower', a tower with neon bubbles rising up to the top, making it look like a champagne bottle. It later reopened on Mato be renamed to 'The Fabulous Flamingo' Only two weeks after the opening of the Flamingo, the hotel closed immediately. The Flamingo was named after Bugsy Siegel's girlfriend, Virginia Hill, as she loved to gamble and the appearance of her hair and legs being 'red.' Siegel nicknamed her 'The Flamingo' because of this. At the time, it was known as 'The Fabulous Flamingo.' It was the third hotel to be built on the Las Vegas Strip (The second being the Last Frontier, and the first being El Rancho Vegas).
Originally owned by Bugsy Siegel, the Flamingo opened on December 26, 1946.
