Welcome to Sallywood? Iconic LA landmark gets facelift

An environmental group bidding to raise around 12.5 million dollars to purchase a 138-acre (55-hectare) parcel of rugged land surrounding the sign had begun draping bright red letters over the popular tourist attraction.

The Trust for Public Land will shroud each of the sign's 45-foot (13-meter) high letters in blankets so that the slogan "SAVE THE PEAK" becomes visible for miles around the sprawling Californian city.

By 5:30pm Thursday, the first two letters of the sign had been covered, leaving the landmark to read "SALLYWOOD."

Activists will remove the slogan next Tuesday, Trust for Public Land spokesman Tim Ahern said. "Everybody in the city will be able to see the message 'Save the Peak,'" Ahern told AFP.

The Hollywood sign, which was initially created as an advert for a real estate development in 1923, is owned by the city of Los Angeles.

However the mountainous land surrounding the famous white letters is owned by a Chicago-based consortium who have acquired rights to build four luxury mansions along the ridgeline.

Activists protested the plans, saying the sign would be blighted if the properties were built, and sought to buy the land from the consortium, which agreed to sell it for 12.5 million dollars if the money was paid by April 14.