From today's Review-Journal:

Los Angeles pop artist Steve Kaufman wants to see "Las Vegas" in lights on a mountainside in 100-foot-high letters.

"It would be four times the size of the Hollywood sign," said Kaufman, who has a copyright on the idea and hopes to see it happen in time for Las Vegas' centennial celebration in 2005.

Kaufman, in town Friday for "Steve Kaufman Day," as proclaimed by Mayor Oscar Goodman, said he's pitched the idea to numerous state and local politicians and received a warm reception.

For starters, he wants to raise $1 million to open an art studio inside correctional facilities in Las Vegas or near Needles, Calif. The inmates would build the needed road in the Sunrise Mountain area and erect the 1,000-foot-wide sign, said Kaufman, who is appearing this weekend at the Centaur Gallery at Fashion Show mall.

"I'm not asking the government for a dime. All the money I'm raising myself," said Kaufman, who said 100 percent of the money would go to his charity, "Give Kids a Break."

Kaufman is hoping he can recruit major Strip properties to sponsor the project and include 30-foot-high neon signage of their resorts.

"When you fly into McCarran (from the north), the right side of the plane has a view of the Strip, and there's nothing on the left side," said Kaufman. "Now you'll have the sign. We're just waiting to hear if we can have this mountain."