Eli Hedley-carved Moai at
Sunset Park in Las Vegas,
photo by aquarj
This great big moai is perhaps the most famous of all of them — after the originals on Rapa Nui, of course. This moai was carved by Eli Hedley for the Aku Aku restaurant, at the Stardust casino. There were two of them, and they stood guard at the front of the casino, looking over all the tourists passing by along the strip. The moai were such a strong visual that even in a city defined by its strong visuals, they were a standout, and became icons for not just the Stardust, but for Vegas itself. It is depicted on the moist towelette from the Aku Aku I posted on Monday.
After the Aku Aku closed, one of the moai made its way to Sunset Park in Las Vegas, which is off the strip, near the airport. There is a pond at the park, and this moai sits on an island in the middle of the pond.
- Aku Aku, Las Vegas [Critiki]
- Sunset Park, Las Vegas [Critiki]
- Las Vegas photos [Tiki Central]
- Nothing Says “Fancy” Like a Moist Towelette [Humu Kon Tiki]
