Bellagio (resort)
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox casino
Bellagio (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a resort, luxury hotel, and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Blackstone Inc. and operated by MGM Resorts International. Bellagio was conceived by casino owner Steve Wynn, and was built on the former site of the Dunes hotel-casino. Wynn's company, Mirage Resorts, purchased the Dunes in 1992. Plans were announced in 1994 to replace it with Beau Rivage, a French-themed resort. In 1995, Wynn changed the project plans to instead theme it after the village of Bellagio, near Lake Como. The resort was designed by Jon Jerde. Construction began on November 1, 1995, with Marnell Corrao Associates as general contractor.
Bellagio opened on October 15, 1998, with 3,005 rooms in a 36-story tower. Built at a cost of $1.6 billion, it was the world's most expensive resort up to that point. Early revenue was less than expected, and Wynn departed the resort in May 2000, when Mirage Resorts merged with MGM Grand Inc. Profits improved under the ownership of the newly formed MGM Mirage (later MGM Resorts). A 33-story hotel tower, with 928 rooms, was opened in 2004. MGM owned Bellagio until 2019, when it sold the resort to Blackstone Inc. for $4.25 billion. MGM continues to operate the property under a lease arrangement.
Bellagio is located on Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It includes a Template:Convert casino and 3,933 rooms. The resort's signature attraction is the Fountains of Bellagio, a dancing water fountain synchronized to music. It is performed in an 8.5-acre man-made lake, located in front of the resort. Other attractions include the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, and a conservatory and botanical gardens. The hotel lobby features Fiori di Como, a sculpture by glass artist Dale Chihuly. It is the world's largest glass sculpture.
Bellagio has numerous restaurants, including Le Cirque and Picasso, the latter by chef Julian Serrano. Other chefs at the resort have included Todd English, Michael Mina, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Wolfgang Puck. Bellagio includes an 1,800 seat theater for performances of O, a water-themed show by Cirque du Soleil. The property also has a high-end retail area which introduced several luxury brands to Las Vegas, including Chanel, Gucci, and Prada.
History
Background and development
The site of Bellagio was previously occupied by the Dunes hotel-casino, which opened in 1955.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Through his company Mirage Resorts, casino owner Steve Wynn purchased the Dunes in November 1992, for $75 million. He intended to demolish it and build a new resort in its place. An early idea was to build five or six complexes with approximately 500 rooms each, along with a small theme park.<ref name=Place/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As the Dunes closed in January 1993, Wynn proposed including a man-made lake in his new project for water skiing and windsurfing. County officials questioned whether such a feature could be included following the passage of a 1990 water ordinance.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A state expert found it unlikely that the lake would cause major soil sinking.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The county modified the ordinance in February 1994, allowing Wynn to proceed with a man-made lake, on the condition that he honor his claim that it would use less water than the Dunes' former golf course.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On October 17, 1994, Mirage Resorts announced plans to build the French-themed Beau Rivage resort on the land, at a cost of $700-$900 million. It would be surrounded by a 50-acre lake with guests entering by footbridges.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Binkley/> Mirage Resorts announced a name change in July 1995, stating that the resort would be named Bellagio, after the village of Bellagio, Lombardy in northern Italy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The resort's designer, Jon Jerde,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> had been vacationing on Lake Como. Impressed by its beauty, he convinced Wynn to come see the area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While on the lake with friend Paul Anka, Wynn noticed the nearby village of Bellagio,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Binkley>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=AFR>Template:Cite news</ref> and spent half a day there.<ref name=Italy>Template:Cite news</ref> The village's Italian architecture inspired Wynn to scrap 10 months' worth of design work for Beau Rivage in favor of a Bellagio-themed resort.<ref name=Binkley/> Wynn would later use the Beau Rivage name for another resort in Mississippi.<ref name=Behringer>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Las Vegas project was revised and scaled back. Among the changes was a reduction in the size of the lake feature;<ref name=Handley>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Mirage Resorts determined that it would use too much water as originally planned.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The hotel tower, originally planned at 49 stories, was also reduced.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The design and planning process took a total of 28 months, dating to 1993. Wynn said "there was no need to rush the project. We wanted to get it right".<ref name=Stock>Template:Cite news</ref> Jerde's design firm spent a total of four years designing the project. Wynn's in-house design team, Atlandia Design, handled the interior.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Aside from the Dunes, a Denny's restaurant was also demolished to make way for Bellagio.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Construction began on November 1, 1995,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the opening was initially scheduled for March 1998.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Marnell Corrao Associates served as general contractor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The project's cost increased several times, in part because of new features being added. A shortage of skilled workers also resulted in rising labor costs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was financed through various lenders.<ref name=Handley/> Finished at a cost of $1.6 billion, it was the most expensive resort ever built.<ref name=Behringer/><ref name=New>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Wynn envisioned Bellagio as a five-star resort catering to tourists who typically visit places other than Las Vegas, such as Paris, London, or Venice.<ref name=Level>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Place/><ref name=Blitz/> He said Bellagio would "redefine Las Vegas",<ref name=Grants/> describing it as the "most ambitious" and luxurious project ever attempted by Mirage Resorts. He also said it would be "the most romantic, delicious place ever built in the world",<ref name=Handley/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as well as the "greatest" and "most beautiful" hotel ever.<ref name=Stock/>
The property features a variety of trees.<ref>Big, Bigger, and Bellagio Template:Webarchive, Inland Architecture (undated), pages 53–59. Accessed March 13, 2010.</ref> Before the opening, builders spent more than a year searching the western U.S. for mature Japanese privets, which are capable of withstanding the dry Las Vegas heat. A deal was reached to remove approximately 30 privets from the government center in Ventura County, California, and replant them at Bellagio, at a cost of nearly $10,000 per tree.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The resort's pool area is surrounded by a Mediterranean garden that included nearly 300 pine trees, left over from the Dunes golf course.<ref name=Attracting>Template:Cite news</ref>
Opening
The opening was highly anticipated,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and crowd-control measures were in preparation months prior.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Mirage Resorts launched a $10 million advertising campaign which included 60-second television commercials, featuring opera singer Andrea Bocelli.<ref name=Blitz>Template:Cite news</ref>
A pre-opening VIP party took place on the night of October 15, 1998, with 1,800 in attendance,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Place>Template:Cite news</ref> including Nevada governor Bob Miller. The public opening followed at 10:45 p.m.<ref name=Storm/> Crowds, waiting to enter the resort, reached an estimated 25,000 people.<ref name=Benvenuto>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Storm/> Within the first day, the resort had received more than 80,000 visitors.<ref name=Delivers>Template:Cite news</ref>
The property included 3,005 hotel rooms,<ref name=Benston>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=TowerPower>Template:Cite news</ref> a casino, and high-end shops and restaurants. The resort's main attraction was an 8.5-acre man-made lake, featuring a water show known as Fountains of Bellagio. Other attractions included a conservatory and the $285 million Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.<ref name=Office>Template:Cite news</ref> More than half of the resort's revenue was expected to come from non-gaming amenities.<ref name=New/> Bellagio employed 9,500 people, 3,200 of them coming from other properties also owned by Mirage Resorts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Casino executive Bobby Baldwin served as the resort's president.<ref name=Grants>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bellagio received positive reception.<ref name=Benvenuto/><ref name=Delivers/><ref name=Storm>Template:Cite news</ref> The level of luxury would eventually inspire other Las Vegas resorts to become more upscale.<ref name=Reset>Template:Cite news</ref> Las Vegas developer Irwin Molasky said, "In our lifetime we will never see another building or hotel with such beauty and grace".<ref name=Benvenuto/> Brian Greenspun of the Las Vegas Sun said the opening "by all accounts, was a first for Las Vegas", stating that the resort exceeded expectations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The newspaper's Steve Friess later called the opening a "pivotal" turning point in Las Vegas history: "The opening of a genuine luxury resort with great food, shopping and amenities was the most important step toward saying to the world, 'Vegas isn't tacky anymore'".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Residents of the Bellagio village reportedly found few similarities with the resort.<ref name=Italy/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Ownership changes and expansion
Template:Multiple image When it opened, Bellagio's room rates averaged $200 a night, compared to $81 for most other Strip resorts.<ref name=Level/> Early revenue was less than expected,<ref>Retrieved April 18, 2022:Template:Ubl</ref> with the resort making $260 million in cash flow during 1999, more than $40 million short of Wynn's predictions.<ref name=Strow>Template:Cite news</ref> Plans for a 1,300-room addition were put on hold in March 2000, while Mirage Resorts finalized a merger with MGM Grand Inc.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The deal closed in May 2000, giving MGM Grand ownership of Bellagio. Wynn was not upset with the sale: "I've always been someone who focuses on the next project. The only part I ever enjoyed was the building, the design. I've always been the design guy".<ref name=Macy>Template:Cite news</ref> The company changed its name to MGM Mirage later that year, and Bellagio's cash flow improved under the new ownership, prompting reconsideration of the hotel expansion plan.<ref name=Strow/>
Plans for a second tower were confirmed in August 2002, as part of a $375 million expansion. The new Spa Tower would be built south of the main tower and would offer access to the spa. The expansion would also include an additional spa, salon, meeting and retail space, as well as a new restaurant. Marnell Corrao Associates returned as general contractor.<ref name=Benston/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Construction on the Spa Tower began in April 2003.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was topped off a year later,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and opened on December 23, 2004. It added 928 rooms, for a total of 3,933.<ref name=Spa/><ref name=SecondTower/> Convention space was also increased to Template:Convert.<ref name=Spa/> The resort hired 1,400 new employees for the expanded facilities, bringing the total to 10,000.<ref name=Spa>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=SecondTower>Template:Cite news</ref>
By 2004, Bellagio was the most profitable hotel-casino in Las Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2012, MGM and Suning Real Estate announced plans to expand the Bellagio name with a 200-room hotel in Shanghai,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which eventually opened in 2018.<ref name=Reset/> Twenty years after its opening, Bellagio remained one of the most popular resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.<ref name=Reset/>
In October 2019, MGM Resorts announced it would sell Bellagio to Blackstone Inc. for $4.25 billion. Through the deal, the two companies would form a joint venture that would lease Bellagio back to MGM Resorts for an annual rent of $245 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The sale was completed in November 2019. Under the deal, MGM acquired a five-percent ownership stake in the venture and continued to operate the resort through the lease.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In July 2023, MGM Resorts announced an agreement with Marriott International to bring its properties within Marriott's international reservations system and its Bonvoy loyalty program. The new partnership, which began in 2024, has Bellagio marketed within The Luxury Collection division of Marriott as Bellagio, a Luxury Collection Resort & Casino, Las Vegas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In August 2023, Blackstone sold a 21.9-percent stake in the resort to Realty Income for $950 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Features
Casino
Bellagio's casino is Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Upon opening, it included 2,700 slot machines and 173 table games. Signage above slot machines was kept to a minimum, as Wynn wanted the resort's architecture to be the primary focus.<ref name=Delivers/> As of 2003, gaming made up less than half of the resort's revenue.<ref name=TowerPower/> The poker room was expanded in 2004, as the game saw a rise in popularity.<ref name=Grows/>
The casino includes a high-limit poker area, originally known as Bobby's Room. It was named after Bellagio president and longtime MGM executive Bobby Baldwin.<ref name=Schult/><ref name=Pill/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2018, the minimum buy-in was $20,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was the most popular high-limit poker room in Las Vegas, until the nearby Aria resort opened in 2009. The Aria's poker room offered players a high-end alternative to Bobby's Room.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In October 2020, MGM quietly renamed it the Legends Room, two years after Baldwin left the company.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Schult>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Pill>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2002, the casino launched a poker tournament series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The casino also hosts the annual WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic,<ref name=Grows>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Five-Star World Poker Classic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2013, Bellagio introduced a private Template:Convert casino room known as Villa Privé, reserved for high rollers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Hotel
The Bellagio hotel has 3,933 rooms.<ref name=Stapleton/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It originally opened with 3,005 rooms,<ref name=Benston/> including 401 suites.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A renovation of the main tower rooms took place in 2003.<ref name=TowerPower/> The Spa Tower, finished a year later, added 928 rooms, bringing the resort to its current number.<ref name=Spa/><ref name=SecondTower/> The original tower is 36 stories,<ref name=Spano>Template:Cite news</ref> while the Spa Tower contains 33.<ref name=Polish>Template:Cite news</ref>
The hotel's suites, as well as the rooms in the Spa Tower, were renovated in 2007. Rooms in the main tower received a six-month, $70 million renovation in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A $40 million renovation of the Spa Tower rooms began in 2012 and concluded the following year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From 2014 to 2015, renovations took place on the main tower suites. It was the final phase of the $165 million remodeling project that began in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Stapleton>Template:Cite news</ref> Another renovation of the main tower rooms took place during 2021,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and a $110 million renovation of the Spa Tower is scheduled for completion by October 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Template:Convert Chairman Suite includes an indoor garden, a home theater system, several fireplaces, a bar, and fulltime butler service.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A restored 19th century fountain sits in the hotel lobby, near the Conservatory.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, a sculpture representing Earth's elements was placed outside the main hotel entrance. It was created by artist Masatoshi Izumi, who hand-carved it out of four basalt stones, each one weighing at least 17,000 pounds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Nightclubs and bars
An upscale nightclub, known as Light, was opened in December 2001. It was owned by Chris and Keith Barish, along with partner Andrew Sasson. It was inspired by a New York nightclub of the same name.<ref>Retrieved April 18, 2022:Template:Ubl</ref> The Las Vegas location became popular among celebrities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Light closed in September 2007,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was replaced by a new upscale nightclub known as The Bank. It was operated by Sasson's company, The Light Group. The Template:Convert club included two bars and three resident DJs. It was popular among tourists, and also attracted locals with various promotions and contests.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It eventually closed in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In March 2011, SBE Entertainment Group announced that it would bring its Hyde Lounge nightclub brand to the resort, taking the place of Fontana Bar.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hyde Bellagio opened on December 31, 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Template:Convert space featured 40 tables and capacity for 714 people. It included outdoor seating overlooking the resort's fountains.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Hyde Bellagio closed in July 2019, and was replaced by the Mayfair Supper Club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Reimagines/>
In February 2012, The Light Group opened Lily Bar & Lounge, which also served as a nightclub.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The resort's bars are served by a pump room containing 1,800 bottles of alcohol. The alcohol travels distances ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 feet before reaching any one of the resort's 53 bars.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Restaurants
Template:See also Template:Multiple image Bellagio opened with 16 eateries,<ref name=Spano/><ref name=Pick/> some of them overseen by award-winning chefs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Picasso is a French restaurant by chef Julian Serrano.<ref name=Lineup>Template:Cite news</ref> Paintings by Pablo Picasso adorn the restaurant's walls.<ref name=Roster>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Chef Todd English opened Olives, which served Mediterranean food and was named after a popular restaurant he opened in Boston.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The resort also included Circo and Le Cirque,<ref name=Italian>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> both owned by the Maccioni family and inspired by New York restaurants of the same name.<ref name=Marks>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Lineup/><ref name=Pick>Template:Cite news</ref> Circo was an Italian restaurant,<ref name=Italian/> while Le Cirque offers French food and features an upscale circus theme.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Elite/>
Other restaurants included the 500-seat Buffet at Bellagio;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Roster/> Prime, a steakhouse by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten;<ref name=Spano/><ref name=Paradigm/> Aqua, a 150-seat seafood restaurant originally from San Francisco,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> overseen by chef Michael Mina;<ref name=Roster/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the 24-hour Bellagio Cafe.<ref name=Roster/> Several restaurants included patios overlooking the Bellagio lake.<ref name=Office/>
In 2004, Aqua was renamed Michael Mina after its chef.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A new restaurant, Sensi, opened later that year as part of the Spa Tower.<ref name=Paradigm/><ref name=Spa/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Jean-Philippe Maury also opened a pâtisserie which includes the world's largest chocolate fountain,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Paradigm/><ref name=Flying/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> standing 27 feet.<ref name=Record/>
Fifteen years after the resort's opening, most of the original restaurants remained popular.<ref name=Paradigm>Template:Cite news</ref> Circo closed in 2014,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was replaced a year later by Lago, a new restaurant from chef Serrano.<ref name=Stapleton2>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The restaurant serves Italian food,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and features an Italian Futurism design.<ref name=Stapleton2/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Snacks, a popular eatery among gamblers, was remodeled in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Chef Roy Ellamar began overseeing Sensi in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The restaurant closed in 2015, and was replaced by Ellamar's new restaurant Harvest, a health-conscious eatery with an emphasis on fresh ingredients.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Olives closed in early 2018, and was replaced by Spago, a restaurant by Wolfgang Puck.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Sadelle's, a popular Manhattan restaurant,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> opened a Las Vegas location at Bellagio in 2019, replacing the cafe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Mayfair Supper Club, a restaurant offering live entertainment,<ref name=Reimagines>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> opened on December 31, 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It overlooks the Bellagio fountains.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Le Cirque closed in March 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and eventually reopened in October 2021.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Elite>Template:Cite news</ref>
The resort includes an employee dining hall known as Mangia, which functions as a buffet and feeds thousands of workers daily.<ref name=Reset/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> An herb garden, located on the Bellagio's roof, supplies some of the resort's restaurants.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=LVA-2014/>
Retail
Since its opening, the resort has included a high-end retail area known as Via Bellagio.<ref name=Marks/><ref name=Shoppers>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Retailers include Armani, Chanel, Fred Leighton, Gucci, Hermès, Prada, and Tiffany & Co.<ref name=Spano/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was the first time that such retailers had opened in Las Vegas, as Via Bellagio was the city's first retail center focused on luxury brands.<ref name=Shoppers/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Additional retail space was added in the 2004 expansion.<ref name=Polish/>
Attractions
Fountains of Bellagio
Fountains of Bellagio is a free musical fountain show performed in the resort's 8.5-acre lake. Each show is choreographed to a specific song or track, coming from a variety of musical genres. The fountains dance along to match the rhythm of the music, and water shoots as high as 460 feet.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The fountains are a popular attraction,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and among the most photographed places in the United States.<ref name=Reset/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Stages are occasionally built on the lake to host events, such as musical performances and a portion of the 2022 NFL draft.<ref name=Iconic/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bellagio has hosted over 240,000 fountain shows as of October 2018.<ref name="ItTakes">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
The Fountains of Bellagio have experienced interruptions throughout their operation. These include a three-day power outage in 2004<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Amaze">Template:Cite news</ref> and a temporary closure in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Technical problems have rarely caused cancellations, with only five reported by 2005.<ref name="Crowd2">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2012, based on tourist reviews, TripAdvisor recognized the Fountains of Bellagio as one of the "most talked about attractions" globally. It was one of 16 attractions featured on the list.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> TripAdvisor's 2013 Travelers' Choice awards bestowed high honors upon the Fountains of Bellagio, naming it the top tourist attraction in the U.S. and placing it among the top 12 globally.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Conservatory and botanical gardens
Template:Multiple image The resort contains a Template:Convert conservatory and botanical gardens. It is located next to the hotel's lobby and is open free to the public.<ref name=Force>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=LVA-2014>Template:Cite news</ref> It receives an average of 20,000 visitors daily.<ref name=Reset/> The Conservatory was originally planned as an outdoor garden.<ref name=Attracting/>
There are five seasonal themes that the Conservatory undergoes: Chinese New Year, spring, summer, fall, and winter.<ref name=Reset/><ref name=Transformation/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From January to mid-March, the Conservatory celebrates the Chinese New Year with a display dominated by flowers bromeliads and orchids, as well as the animal of that particular year that the Chinese zodiac celebrates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The theme then changes over to the spring display, which lasts until May, and usually features a butterfly house as well as many varieties of tropical flowers.<ref name=Flying>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During Memorial Day weekend, Bellagio then switches over to its all-American summer display, featuring a large recreation of the Liberty Bell, as well as several American flags throughout the Conservatory. The summer display is usually very patriotic featuring a lot of red, white, and blue, and is dominated by hydrangeas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From late September until Thanksgiving weekend, the Conservatory puts on its autumn display featuring several varieties of chrysanthemum and several large pumpkins.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Thanksgiving, the Conservatory switches to its winter holiday display, which is dominated by a large centerpiece Christmas Tree and several varieties of poinsettia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A life-sized candy village, which took months to create, was introduced for the 2012 Christmas display.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Throughout the year, the colorful displays are decorated with many fragrant flowers and usually contain fountains.
Each seasonal display costs about $1 million to create. Props are put into storage for future use.<ref name=Flying/><ref name=LVA-2014/> Planning for each season is done in advance, and each display design is carried out by more than 100 workers over the course of several days. The Conservatory uses thousands of plants and flowers for its displays each year.<ref name=Transformation>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2018, the Conservatory had used six million plants across 100 displays,<ref name=20Things>Template:Cite news</ref> and had received 150 million visitors.<ref name=Force/> In 2022, the resort introduced the Garden Table, a dining experience with seating alongside the conservatory attractions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
Template:Main In addition to the numerous works of art found throughout the public areas of the resort, the property also includes the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It opened along with the resort,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> originally to showcase art from Wynn's private collection, as well as art owned by Mirage Resorts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following the property's ownership change in 2000, the gallery became a rotating exhibition space, hosting art collections loaned from museums.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Fiori di Como
A large art piece hangs from the ceiling of the hotel lobby, measuring approximately Template:Convert and representing flowers of various colors. It is a popular attraction and free to view.<ref name=Artist/><ref name=Union/> Known as Fiori di Como ("Flowers of Como"),<ref name=Union>Template:Cite news</ref> it was created by glass artist Dale Chihuly. Wynn hired him to create an art piece for the resort, but it would take six months before they settled on an idea.<ref name=Artist/> According to Wynn's wife Elaine, "We went over to Dale's house where he had put a glass art installation at the bottom of his lap pool. And I said to him, 'I want that in my ceiling in the Bellagio lobby.' So that's how we got that".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A total of two years was spent working on Fiori di Como, which turned out larger than Chihuly had anticipated: "Every time, Steve (Wynn) saw it, he wanted more". Because the sculpture would hang in Las Vegas, Chihuly took a less-restrained approach in creating it: "I thought it would be a good opportunity to use a lot of color. I thought I could be a little bit more exuberant". Metal oxides were used during the glass-making process to give the sculpture its colors.<ref name=Artist>Template:Cite news</ref> Fiori di Como includes more than 2,100 pieces of colored glass.<ref name=Artist/><ref name=Toronto/> The sculpture measures 65 feet by 29 feet, and weighs more than 40,000 pounds.<ref name=Union/><ref name=Toronto/> It is supported by a 10,000-pound steel armature.<ref name=Blossoms/>
Fiori di Como is the world's largest glass sculpture,<ref name=Union/><ref name=Record>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and it popularized Chihuly among the general public.<ref name=Toronto>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Blossoms>Template:Cite news</ref> The cost to create the sculpture has never been revealed,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> although it reportedly ranges from $1 million to $10 million.<ref name=Union/><ref name=Artist/><ref name=Blossoms/> As of 2017, it is estimated to be worth at least $8 million.<ref name=Union/> Fiori di Como garnered positive feedback from guests, prompting Chihuly and Bellagio to partner and open a store in 2001, in the resort's Conservatory. The store sold artwork by Chihuly, including individual flower-shaped art pieces inspired by Fiori di Como. Other items included books and videos about Chihuly.<ref name=Union/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Live entertainment
Wynn hired talent manager Sandy Gallin to oversee live entertainment at the resort. Upon opening, the casino included several performance venues, such as the 250-seat Fontana lounge, and the 70-seat Allegro lounge.<ref name=Roster/><ref name=Betting>Template:Cite news</ref> Early on, the Fontana hosted acts such as Michael Feinstein and Loston Harris.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Since the Bellagio opened, it has featured Cirque du Soleil's water-themed show O.<ref name=Storm/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It is performed in an 1,800-seat opera house,<ref name=Spano/> and makes use of a mini lake which serves as the stage.<ref name=Roster/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The show was created at a cost of approximately $100 million,<ref name=Betting/> making it the most expensive in Las Vegas history up to that point.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Cheval, a horse-themed show, was performed in a tent next to the resort in the early 2000s. It was created by Gilles Ste-Croix, who helped create O.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Accolades
Bellagio is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and various organizations have ranked the resort highly. By 2001, it had achieved a four-star rating from Mobil Travel Guide.<ref name=Strow/> That year, it became the first hotel-casino to win the AAA Five Diamond Award. It was also the second Las Vegas hotel to win the award, after the Four Seasons in 1999.<ref name=AAA>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2010, Bellagio won its 10th consecutive Five Diamond Award, the first Strip resort to do so.<ref name=Straight>Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2020, it had won the Five Diamond Award 18 consecutive times.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bellagio placed eighth in the 2003 Zagat Survey of U.S. hotel resorts, while its restaurants ranked 12th in the category of top dining.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bellagio has also made the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List numerous times, beginning in 2005.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A 2005 study by Majestic Research, polling more than 400 out-of-state residents, found Bellagio to be the favorite resort among tourists, with 18 percent support.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another study polled tourists who visited Las Vegas in 2005, and Bellagio was named the city's top "must-see" resort, while the fountains were named best "must-see" attraction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2010, Travel + Leisure ranked it 31st on a list of top hotels in large U.S. and Canadian cities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Travelocity ranked it in sixth place in a 2011 list of top 10 Las Vegas hotels, based on guest reviews.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The resort's Picasso restaurant has also been critically acclaimed,<ref>Retrieved April 18, 2022:Template:Ubl</ref> receiving the AAA Five Diamond and Mobil Five-Star awards by the end of 2001.<ref name=AAA/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2010, the restaurant won its 10th Five Diamond Award, while Le Cirque won its 8th. Bellagio was the only hotel in the U.S. to have two Five Diamond restaurants.<ref name=Straight/>
Incidents
Power outages
A resort-wide power outage occurred around 2:00 a.m. on April 11, 2004, leaving only emergency lights still working. One of the main power lines was compromised, which led to the failure of other lines, resulting in the outage. Power had to be shut down completely so that thousands of feet of cable could be replaced. Guests were relocated to other hotels.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The hotel and casino reopened on April 14, 2004, and other areas of the resort were reopened over the next few days.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A preliminary investigation by the county found that the main power line failed because of premature deterioration, the cause for which remained unknown.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
A partial power outage occurred on December 31, 2011, shutting down the resort's buffet and several hundred hotel rooms in the main tower's west wing.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another partial outage occurred in March 2018, after leaking water made contact with an electrical panel. The six-hour outage affected the buffet, a performance theater, parts of the sportsbook, and certain elevators.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Robberies
Several robberies have occurred at the Bellagio.<ref name=Torres>Template:Cite news</ref> In June 2000, three men stole $160,000 in cash and casino chips, and were subsequently apprehended.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Bellagio heist was one in a series of casino robberies committed by the men.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In December 2010, a helmet-wearing man robbed $1.5 million in chips from a craps table, with some chips worth $25,000 each.<ref name=HotChips/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Confidential safeguards made it unlikely that the thief would be able to cash in the chips without getting caught.<ref name=HotChips>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Furthermore, MGM announced after the robbery that it would discontinue the $25,000 chips within four months.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The thief, son of a Las Vegas judge, was arrested in February 2011, after arranging to sell $25,000 chips to an undercover police officer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Approximately $793,000 in chips remained unaccounted for, most of them $25,000 chips.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The robber pled guilty as part of a plea deal,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was sentenced to 3 to 11 years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In July 2014, a man robbed the cashier cage of $43,500, using a BB gun. He was arrested the next day, after spending roughly half of the money on prostitutes and a shopping spree.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was found incompetent to stand trial.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On an early morning in March 2017, men wearing animal-themed masks broke into a jewelry store at the resort, prompting a police lockdown of the casino and parking garage. One of the suspects was apprehended,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Sought/> while three others remained at large.<ref name=Sought>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Another robbery occurred later in 2017, when a man stole money from a poker cage.<ref name=Torres/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He returned to rob the cage in March 2019, and a shootout occurred outside the resort between him and police as he tried to escape. He was shot and killed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Fires
On the morning of September 23, 2008, a mattress fire prompted the brief evacuation of the 26th floor, as well as portions of the 25th and 27th floors. One guest suffered minor burns, and others were treated for smoke inhalation and released shortly afterwards.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On the night of April 13, 2017, the roof of the resort's retail section caught fire, forcing an evacuation of the area. The rest of the resort was unaffected, and the fire was put out within a half-hour. It caused up to $450,000 in damage, mostly above a Starbucks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The fire was caused by a faulty exterior light fixture.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In popular culture
Template:See also Bellagio serves as the central setting for the 2001 film Ocean's Eleven, in which a group of thieves conspire to rob its vault. The film features various areas of the property.<ref name=20Things/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A staircase descended by character Tess Ocean (Julia Roberts) would later be removed to make way for the Spa Tower.<ref name=Reset/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The Bellagio is depicted in the 2007 film Lucky You. The film is set in 2003, but the resort's poker room had been renovated since then, prompting the filmmakers to construct a replica of the original room on a soundstage in Los Angeles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The resort's fountains have appeared in numerous films.<ref name=Attractions>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Iconic>Template:Cite news</ref>
Gallery
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Main tower at night
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Top of the main tower
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Bellagio and Caesars Palace
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Bellagio fountains at night
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Fountains during the day
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Main tower and retail area
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Fountains at night, seen from Paris Las Vegas
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Bellagio hotel towers
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Spa Tower, seen from the Las Vegas Strip
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Via Bellagio shops
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The porte-cochère
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Pool area
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Moonlit evening
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Bellagio station for Aria Express, which travels to nearby properties
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See also
References
External links
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