In a city known for its neon-colored signs and glittering lights, some Las Vegas council members aren’t so sure a glitzy logo is the right fit.

Yes, you read that right. A new city logo has come under scrutiny for — dare we say — being a bit too flashy even by Las Vegas standards.

“When I look at the logo, that doesn’t say official business to me, and that concerns me,” Councilman Ricki Barlow said at a recent meeting. “The seal says official business.”

Here’s the backstory: Roughly 18 months ago, the city embarked on a mission to come up with a more marketable logo that could create consistency in branding. The logo wouldn’t supplant the existing city seal, but rather complement it. After narrowing 20 designs down to four, the community voted on the finalists and a clear winner emerged.

It features “Las Vegas” in a curvy, magenta script with three, retro-looking stars accenting the words. At a recent council meeting, the city’s communications director admitted the design and color may not have been his first choice, but the people had spoken.

“What they came back with was a surprise,” David Riggleman said.

And so began the implementation process. As the city needed new government vehicles, letterhead, business cards, shirts and so forth, those items were branded with the new logo. The idea: Phase it in gradually, thus not burdening the city with an extra expense. (The design process cost the city $10,000, Riggleman said.)

But as Barlow began seeing more and more of the logo — on city vehicles and official documents — he said he grew concerned and wanted answers, hence the council discussion earlier this month.

“All I’ve seen was basically the disappearing of the city seal,” he said.

Mayor Carolyn Goodman pointed out that “thousands” of Las Vegas logos exist and, although she applauded the “cuteness” of the city’s logo, she’s not wild about it appearing on government vehicles, for instance.

“We are serious business here at the city,” she said. “I tend to go there first, but I do see the marketing advantage of the city of Las Vegas logo.”

Councilmen Steve Ross and Stavros Anthony, however, came to the defense of the fledgling logo.

“I love the logo,” Ross said. “I love it on our vehicle. I love it on our equipment. I love it on our shirts. I think it’s a very effective tool.”

Anthony put his enthusiasm a little more bluntly: “We’re not Toledo. We’re Las Vegas. We have to be a little flashy.”

Riggleman assured council members that the seal was never meant to be abolished. The serious-looking seal and lighthearted logo are supposed to co-exist. The question, of course, is how?

Staff recommended the seal be used for things like mayoral and council-related documents., proclamations, citations, business licenses, permits and enforcement badges; the logo could appear on brochures, postcards, event advertisements, uniforms and social media, among other locations.

Riggleman also showed examples of a black-and-white logo that could blend in with certain departments’ existing color schemes — perhaps alleviating concerns, for instance,  that the magenta logo really clashes with red firetrucks and doesn’t seem serious enough in that capacity.

No final decision has been made. The council plans to resume the discussion in mid-July.

In the meantime, fans of the new logo can get their hands on it soon. The city plans to launch an online store within a week or two that will sell shirts, hats, water bottles and other items donning the magenta, retro-looking logo.

Feature photo: Las Vegas City Hall is seen on Thursday, March, 16, 2017. Photo by Jeff Scheid.