Bellagio (resort)

Background and opening (1990s)

Bellagio was conceived by Steve Wynn and built by his company, Mirage Resorts, Inc. following the purchase and demolition of the legendary Dunes hotel and casino in October 27, 1993 after the grand opening of Luxor Las Vegas. Bellagio was designed by DeRuyter Butler and Atlandia Design. Construction on the Bellagio began in May 1996. Bellagio had an original construction cost of US$1.6 billion.

The interior design on the Bellagio was designed by Architectural Digest 100 four time winner Roger Thomas. Roger Thomas is the executive vice president of design for Wynn Design & Development, and principal of the Roger Thomas Collection.

Bellagio opened on October 15, 1998, just before 11 pm, in a ceremony that was reported to cost US$88 million. The VIPs invited to the grand opening were expected to donate to The Foundation Fighting Blindness US$1,000 a person or US$3,500 a couple, which entitled them to an overnight stay at Bellagio's suite rooms. Opening night's entertainment began with Steve Wynn giving a 40-minute welcome speech followed by the opening of the Cirque du Soleil production "O". Performing in Bellagio lounges that night were New York cabaret and recording artist Michael Feinstein, George Bugatti, and John Pizarrelli. When it opened, it was the most expensive hotel ever built.

Recent years (2000-present)

In 2000 it became an MGM Mirage property when Mirage Resorts merged with MGM Grand Inc. to create MGM Mirage. In 2010, the company was renamed MGM Resorts International in a move to go worldwide with its brands.

Bellagio employs approximately 8,000 people. In the fall of 2006, the casino floor was remodeled and new uniforms were issued, changing the original color scheme to a more elegant type.

On December 15, 2010, a helmet-wearing gunman robbed the casino of $1.5 million in chips. In August 2011, he was convicted to a prison term of 9–27 years.

Poker room

Many professional poker players prefer to play at the Bellagio poker room, calling it their home base (or more commonly "The Office") due to the high table limits, including the high-stakes Big Game located in "Bobby's Room", named after Bobby Baldwin. The stakes at the Big Game can range up to $4,000/$8,000, and are frequented by such poker pros as Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, and Jennifer Harman. It is reported that the pots during this game can far exceed $1 million.

Bellagio has also partnered with the World Poker Tour to host several of their tournaments.

Restaurants

There are 14 restaurants inside Bellagio as well as private dining, in-room dining, and poolside dining options:

Lago by Julian Serrano

Harvest by Roy Ellamar

Todd English's Olives

Fix

Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant

Prime Steakhouse

Le Cirque

Picasso

Michael Mina

The Buffet

Jasmine

Cafe Bellagio

Noodles

Jean Philippe Patisserie - home of the world's tallest chocolate fountain

Fountains of Bellagio

The Fountains of Bellagio is a vast, choreographed water feature with performances set to light and music. (See musical fountain.) The performances take place in front of the Bellagio hotel and are visible from numerous vantage points on the Strip, both from the street and neighboring structures. The show takes place every 30 minutes in the afternoons and early evenings, and every 15 minutes from 8 pm to midnight. Two minutes before a water show starts, the nozzles begin to break the water surface and the lights illuminating the hotel tower turn to a purple hue (usually), or red-white-and-blue for certain music. Shows may be cancelled without warning because of high wind, although shows usually run with less power in face of wind. A single show may be skipped to avoid interference with a planned event. Additional shows can occur for special occasions including weddings. The fountain display is choreographed to various pieces of music, including "Time To Say Goodbye", "God Bless the USA", "Your Song", "Viva Las Vegas", "Luck Be a Lady", and "My Heart Will Go On".

The fountains are set in a 8-acre (3.2 ha) manmade lake. Contrary to urban myth, the lake is not filled with treated greywater from the hotel. The lake is actually serviced by a freshwater well that was drilled decades prior to irrigate a golf course that previously existed on the site. The fountains actually use less water than irrigating the golf course did. They incorporate a network of pipes with more than 1,200 nozzles that make it possible to stage fountain displays coordinated with more than 4,500 lights. It is estimated that the fountains cost $40 million to build. The fountains were created by WET, a design firm specializing in inventive fountains and architectural water features.

Four types of nozzles are used for the various effects:

Conservatory and botanical gardens

The hotel also contains a Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. In total, there are five seasonal themes that the Conservatory undergoes: Chinese New Year, spring, summer, fall, and winter. 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. 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. 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. From late September until Thanksgiving weekend, the Conservatory then puts on its fall display featuring several varieties of chrysanthemum and several large pumpkins throughout the display. Finally, the Conservatory then switches over to its winter holiday display after Thanksgiving, which is dominated by its large centerpiece Christmas Tree and several varieties of poinsettia. Whatever the season, colorful displays are decorated with many real fragrant flowers, and fountains may also be present. The Conservatory is located next to the lobby of the hotel and is open to the public.

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art

In addition to the numerous works of art found throughout the public areas of the resort, Bellagio also houses a special exhibition space displaying art work on loan from various museums and private collections from around the world. Originally the space that displayed the personal art collection of Steve Wynn, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art has since become a rotating exhibition space after he sold his hotels in 2000. In the past, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art was located near the grand staircase in the Conservatory that Julia Roberts descended in the movie Ocean's Eleven, but was then moved to its larger current location along the pool promenade eight months after Bellagio opened to better accommodate larger crowds.

Past exhibits at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art include:

Awards

Bellagio has won the AAA Five Diamond Award 15 years in a row, from 2000 to 2015; it was the first Strip hotel to receive the award ten or more times in a row. Two of its restaurants, Picasso and Le Cirque, have also received the Five Diamond award. The hotel is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. In addition, Picasso has received two Michelin stars. Le Cirque and Michael Mina have each received one Michelin star. The resort is recognized on the Condé Nast Traveller Gold List as one of the "Top Hotels in the World".