Cranes dismantle historic Santa Monica Pier sign as landmark prepares to head to Las Vegas

A multi-day removal operation on the historic Santa Monica Pier sign reaches its final stage today, taking down the 85-year-old landmark before transporting it to Las Vegas for restoration.

According to city officials, work began earlier this week when crews dismantled the landmark and stripped away its neon tubing on Tuesday, then removed its upper crown on Wednesday.

Crews are scheduled to remove the main portion of the sign Thursday, using a crane and temporary support structures to lower it from its position at the pier entrance.

Having welcomed visitors to the Santa Monica Pier since 1941, the sign is being taken down as part of the broader Pier Bridge Replacement Project.

Listed on the California Register of Historical Resources, the sign will undergo repairs at a Nevada facility operated by YESCO, a company known for maintaining neon signs, including the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign.

The refurbishment will include repairs to the neon tubing, rust removal, repainting, and structural work intended to preserve the sign’s historic features.

Once dismantled, the sign will be wrapped and loaded onto transport vehicles, with departure for YESCO’s Las Vegas facility expected Monday, Oct. 26. It will stay in storage in Nevada while construction of the new pier bridge continues.

City officials said the restored landmark is expected to return to the pier entrance in 2028, when construction on the replacement bridge is completed.

The landmark will be reinstalled at a slightly higher elevation to improve visibility and provide additional clearance for passing vehicles.

Removal work has been scheduled from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., with one lane of Ocean Avenue near the pier entrance closed during work hours.

The city has designated two public viewing areas for the operation: the southern edge of Palisades Park and the northeast side of the pier entrance at Ocean Avenue and Colorado Avenue.

Officials said the removal schedule could change because of weather conditions, with rain forecast for Thursday. Work is expected to continue unless lightning or significantly reduced visibility makes the operation unsafe.

While the original sign is away, visitors can take photos with a half-scale replica on the pier. The temporary sign is located on the left side of the pier just before Pier Burger, with views of the Pacific Park roller coaster and the Santa Monica shoreline.

The Pier Bridge Replacement Project aims to improve the safety, accessibility, and long-term reliability of the bridge connecting Ocean Avenue to the pier while maintaining access to businesses and attractions.

Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2028, ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.