The sign was designed by Betty Willis at the request of Ted Rogich, a local salesman, who sold it to Clark County, Nevada.

The sign, like most of the Strip, sits in Paradise and is located roughly 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the actual city limits of Las Vegas.

Crowning the sign, located between the two poles and just under the crosspiece is an eight-pointed, red-painted metal star outlined with yellow neon.

The south side of the sign reads "Welcome" inside the silver dollars, with "to Fabulous" in blue, in a 1950s-style cursive, underneath.

The words "Las Vegas" are on the next line in red, all capitalized, and large, almost filling the width of the sign.

On December 8, 2008, site improvements were completed in the median allowing official public access to the welcome sign for the first time.

In April 2012, the Clark County Commission authorized the expenditure of $500,000 to add 20 more spaces to accommodate visitor traffic.

[13] On May 14, 2009, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and the Playboy personality Holly Madison coincided the start of summer with the sign's 50th anniversary.

Part of the celebration was making it in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest bikini parade, followed by pool parties throughout the city.

The event was hosted by Holly Madison, Wayne Newton, Oscar Goodman, and a slew of showgirls and skydivers.

[15] On October 5, 2017, following a mass shooting four days earlier, 58 crosses with hearts on them, all made by Greg Zanis, were placed behind the sign.

[24] The city of Las Vegas, Clark County, and the LVCVA launched a ten-month-long campaign promoting couples who were married in Las Vegas to take a photo in front of the sign to win monthly prizes and one grand prize,[25] In 2004, souvenir replicas of the sign that light up were sold to benefit the Nevada Cancer Institute.

[26] In 2005, the image of the sign was featured on the Nevada license plate that was issued to commemorate the centennial of the City of Las Vegas.

[27] On March 1, 2012, a business selling photos in front of a replica of the sign opened at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.