Las Vegas Weekly

October 8, 2008 · 10:40 AM

Unique M lightship to light up the Vegas sky

By Robin Leach

The balloon above M Resort.

Photo: Preferred PR

The 170-foot giant M lightship will now become a permanent attraction and get a permanent home at the new M resort nearing construction completion on the far south end of the valley. It successfully flew into town with its 70-foot-by-30-foot aerial TV screen making it the world’s largest advertising blimp!

M builder-developer Anthony Marnell III says: “Plans are underway to house the lightship on property adjacent to our resort and we will give tours of it to the public and give them the opportunity to meet captain and crew and take photos.

The $1-billion M resort, spa and casino will open as the Strip’s southern gateway next March and the 7,705-pound lightship will be used to promote all the excitement of the new Strip property. The 235,000 LED screen can be seen up to five miles away! It takes 18 in crew to launch the lightship, which travels up to 35 mph above Vegas just 1,000 feet above ground. It takes 170,000 cubic feet of helium to be fully inflated! Who else would tell you this?

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