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THE AUTO COLLECTIONS LOANS CARS TO SHANGHAI
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First-Ever Automobile Museum in China to Open Mid-September
LAS VEGAS – The Auto Collections at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino is on the verge of making history as it prepares to ship antique cars on loan to the first-ever automobile museum in China, becoming the only non-native participant in this joint venture with the Chinese government.
On Wednesday, July 5, six vehicles, the first of 38 making the trip from Las Vegas, will be loaded on an auto transporter and driven to Long Beach, Calif., where they and 37 additional cars from the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, Calif., will be put in containers and loaded onto a cargo ship for the
24-day voyage to Shanghai.
The 75 vehicles, representing 23 different makes, will range from an 1886 Benz to a 1972 Alfa Romeo, with values between $20,000 and $1 million. They will be displayed in the Blackhawk Pavilion of the Shanghai Automobile Museum, scheduled to open mid-September. The museum – with free admission – will be part of an international automobile city development known as Autotown, which will include new car dealers.
“The Chinese are now buying newer cars, and the vehicles we are loaning the museum were selected because of their significance in the timeline of automobile development, “ said Don Williams, co-owner with Richie Clyne of The Auto Collections and Blackhawk. “The museum vehicles will give them an understanding of automobile history that will serve them well with future purchases.”
The Chinese government built the more than 100,000-square-foot facility and will run and maintain the museum. The Auto Collections is footing the hefty bill to transport all 75 vehicles to Shanghai, but in return, expects to benefit through exposure in the automobile marketplace.
The antique vehicles will be on display for two years after which they plan to start a rotation program between their U.S. locations and Shanghai, according to Rob Williams, The Auto Collections general manager and Don’s son.
The elder Williams said he was approached by the Chinese government two years ago to open a museum so its citizens could see older cars. “We’ve had offers before from other countries to open a museum, but this was the one that felt like a good fit,” he noted.
“Don was the first to do an exposition sale and the first to hold a car auction in Japan, so this is just another of the firsts that he’s done,” said the younger Williams about his father.
The Auto Collections, the world’s largest classic car lot with $100 million worth of inventory on display and for sale, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Located on the fifth level of the Imperial Palace self-parking facility, The Auto Collections is open daily 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The Imperial Palace is home to the award-winning tribute show “Legends in Concert” and the Dealertainers™, celebrity impersonators who deal blackjack. Imperial Palace is the most central stop on the Las Vegas Monorail. The resort is famous for “Five-Star-Friendly Service” and includes a race and sports book, 2,640 rooms and suites, world-class gaming and amenities, a seasonal poolside luau, 40,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, nine specialty restaurants, 10 bars and lounges, state-of-the-art spa and fitness center, business center, concierge service, medical center, wedding chapel and reception facilities.