Ready To Drive Down ‘Liberace Way?’ It Could Happen Soon
When you think of the greats in vintage Las Vegas entertainment, who do you think of? Frank Sinatra must come to mind. Dean Martin, sure. Sammy Davis Junior, of course. How about Wayne Newton? He’s still at it! Elvis Presley, he had a rebirth of his career in town! Then there’s Liberace.
In the mid 1940’s and for decades after, Liberace was a staple of Las Vegas entertainment. From the Last Frontier to the Riviera to the Las Vegas Hilton, he was one of the highest paid performers of his time. Without question he is an indelible figure in the history of our city… but he’s missing one thing all of the other performers we named have: a street named after him.
While Frank Sinatra and Dean-O trail along Interstate 15. Wayne Newton Boulevard brings you around Terminal 1 at Harry Reid Las Vegas International Airport. Sammy Davis Jr Drive cuts behind Circus Circus and Resorts World. Elvis Presley Boulevard – while short – leads from the Strip to the entrance of the former Las Vegas Hilton, now Westgate, that he called home for many years.
Well… what about Liberace?!
Well there is now a proposal that will rename a portion of Karen Avenue between Joe W Brown Drive and Maryland Parkway to Liberace Way, bordering the northern border of the Las Vegas Country Club. A ways away from Tropicana and Spencer where the former home of the Historic Liberace Museum is open, but still a fitting tribute to an icon. There are few who hold a similar iconic status of this Las Vegas Strip legacy performer.
The Clark County Planning Commission is set to meet tonight, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m., and the meeting is open to the public. Soon, we could be driving down Liberace Way, and if the street signs aren’t bejeweled, it is a missed opportunity.
