- Target:
- City of Las Vegas, LVCVA and Clark County Commission
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.liberace.org
Liberace is the only individual named by the Library of Congress as having created Las Vegas culture. The Las Vegas Weekly wrote that every headliner act in Las Vegas could be traced to or through Liberace, in describing him as the greatest Las Vegas headliner act of all time. He was the first resident act on the Las Vegas Strip, and played the city 43 years, beginning when there were only two hotels on Las Vegas Blvd.
Synonymous with Las Vegas, Liberace is name checked in the lyrics of more songs than any other artists since his death, including Nina Simone, Tupac Shakur, Billy Joel, Kid Rock, Jay Z, Tim McGraw and Lady Gaga. The artifacts he curated, chronicling his long career continue to astound audiences at world class museums internationally. He is licensed in film, television and print routinely. Yet his memory is not officially honored in the city where he had the most impact - Las Vegas.
When Liberace died of complications of HIV in 1987, at the height of AIDS hysteria, his many accolades fell to those lashing out at anyone with the disease. Despite being the very reason Las Vegas is known for "bling," entertainment, and ultra-luxury over-the-top living, Liberace was never memorialized by the city he put on the map. Proud of its traditions of darkening the lights of the Strip for stars who pass on, and for naming streets for them by the dozens, Las Vegas did neither for Liberace.
On may 16, 2019, Liberace would be turning 100 years old. It's time to right what we got wrong. It's time to remember the godfather of modern showmanship,
On May 16, 2019, let's darken the brightest street in the world for a few moments in remembrance. When they come back on, let's shine a little brighter by lighting a new sign marking a street named for Liberace.
The Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts as requested these actions be supported by the Las Vegas Mayor Caroline Goodman and also the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Both have declined. Requests to the Clark County Commission have fallen on deaf ears.
We the undersigned call upon the Las Vegas Mayor Goodman, each of the members of the City Council of the City of Las Vegas, each of the board members of the the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, each of the Commissioners of Clark County and each member of the executive team at each and every hotel casino property on the the Las Vegas Strip, to support:
1. The coordinated darkening of the Marquees on the Las Vegas Strip on the evening of May 16, 2019, in celebration at long last of the life of Liberace; and
2. The naming of a street at the site of the previous Riviera Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip for Liberace, to be unveiled on May 16, 2019.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Honor Liberace's 100th in Las Vegas petition to City of Las Vegas, LVCVA and Clark County Commission was written by Jonathan Warren and is in the category Local Government at GoPetition.