Bellagio (resort) facts for kids

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Bellagio
Show map of Las Vegas Strip Show map of Nevada Show map of the United States
Location	Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
Address	3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Opening date	October 15, 1998; 26 years ago (1998-10-15)
Theme	Bellagio, Italy
No. of rooms	3,933
Total gaming space	156,000 sq ft (14,500 m²)
Permanent shows	O
Signature attractions	Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art Conservatory Fountains of Bellagio Fiori di Como
Notable restaurants	Le Cirque Circo (1998–2014) Harvest Picasso Michael Mina Prime Lago Olives (1998–2018) Spago Snacks
Casino type	Land-based
Owner	Blackstone Inc. Realty Income (21.9%)
Operating license holder	MGM Resorts International
Architect	Jon Jerde Atlandia Design (interior design)
Renovated in	2003–04, 2007, 2011–2015, 2021, 2023
Coordinates	36°06′47″N 115°10′35″W / 36.11306°N 115.17639°W / 36.11306; -115.17639

Bellagio is a famous resort, luxury hotel, and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned by Blackstone Inc. and operated by MGM Resorts International. The idea for Bellagio came from casino owner Steve Wynn. It was built on the site of an older hotel-casino called the Dunes.

Wynn's company bought the Dunes in 1992. He first planned a French-themed resort. But in 1995, he changed his mind. He decided to theme it after the beautiful village of Bellagio near Lake Como in Italy. The resort was designed by Jon Jerde. Construction started on November 1, 1995.

Bellagio opened its doors on October 15, 1998. It had 3,005 rooms in a tall 36-story building. It cost $1.6 billion to build, making it the most expensive resort in the world at that time. In 2004, a second 33-story hotel tower was added, bringing the total rooms to 3,933.

The resort covers 77 acres. It features a large casino and many rooms. Bellagio's most famous attraction is the Fountains of Bellagio. This is a dancing water show set to music. It takes place in an 8.5-acre man-made lake in front of the resort. Other popular spots include the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art and a beautiful conservatory with botanical gardens. The hotel lobby also has Fiori di Como, a huge glass sculpture by artist Dale Chihuly. It is the world's largest glass sculpture.

Bellagio has many restaurants, including famous ones like Le Cirque and Picasso. It also has an 1,800-seat theater. Here, you can watch O, a water-themed show by Cirque du Soleil. The resort also has fancy shops with luxury brands like Chanel and Gucci.

History of Bellagio
What Bellagio Offers
Fun Attractions
Live Shows and Entertainment
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
Gallery
See also

History of Bellagio

How Bellagio Was Built

The land where Bellagio stands used to be home to the Dunes hotel-casino. Steve Wynn bought the Dunes in 1992. He wanted to build a brand new resort there. He first thought about a French-themed resort called Beau Rivage.

However, after visiting the village of Bellagio in Italy, Wynn was inspired. He loved the Italian architecture and decided to change his plans. The new resort would be named Bellagio. Construction began on November 1, 1995. The project cost $1.6 billion, making it a very grand and expensive undertaking. Wynn wanted Bellagio to be a top-tier resort. He aimed to attract visitors who enjoyed luxury and beauty.

Grand Opening Day

The opening of Bellagio was a big event. People were very excited to see the new resort. A special party for important guests happened on the night of October 15, 1998. The public opening followed later that night. About 25,000 people waited to enter. On its first day, Bellagio welcomed over 80,000 visitors.

The resort opened with 3,005 hotel rooms, a casino, and many high-end shops and restaurants. The Fountains of Bellagio were a major highlight. The conservatory and the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art were also popular. Bellagio quickly became known for its luxury. It inspired other resorts in Las Vegas to become more upscale.

Changes and Growth

When Bellagio first opened, its room prices were higher than most other resorts. In 2000, Wynn's company merged with MGM Grand Inc. This made MGM Grand the new owner of Bellagio. Under MGM's ownership, Bellagio's success grew.

In 2002, plans for a second hotel tower were announced. This new Spa Tower would add 928 rooms. Construction started in 2003 and the Spa Tower opened on December 23, 2004. This brought Bellagio's total room count to 3,933. By 2004, Bellagio was one of the most profitable hotels in Las Vegas.

In 2019, MGM Resorts sold Bellagio to Blackstone Inc. for $4.25 billion. However, MGM Resorts still operates the resort under a lease agreement. In 2023, Bellagio also joined Marriott International's Luxury Collection.

What Bellagio Offers

The Casino Experience

Bellagio's casino is very large, covering 156,000 square feet. When it first opened, it had 2,700 slot machines and 173 table games. The casino also has a special high-limit poker area. This area was once called Bobby's Room, named after a casino executive. It is now known as the Legends Room. It's a popular spot for serious poker players. Bellagio also hosts big poker tournaments every year.

Hotel Rooms and Suites

The Bellagio hotel has 3,933 rooms. It has two main towers: the original 36-story tower and the 33-story Spa Tower. The rooms and suites have been updated several times over the years. The latest renovations for the Spa Tower rooms were completed in October 2023.

Some of the fancy suites, like the Chairman Suite, are huge. They include indoor gardens, home theaters, fireplaces, and butler service. In the hotel lobby, you can see a beautiful 19th-century fountain. There is also a large stone sculpture outside the main entrance.

Restaurants and Dining

Bellagio opened with 16 different places to eat. Many of these were led by award-winning chefs.

Picasso is a French restaurant. It has real paintings by Pablo Picasso on its walls.
Le Cirque also serves French food with a fun circus theme.
Michael Mina is a seafood restaurant.
Prime is a steakhouse.
Lago offers Italian food.
Spago is another popular restaurant.
The Buffet at Bellagio is a large dining hall.
You can also find the world's largest chocolate fountain here. It stands 27 feet tall!

Bellagio even has an herb garden on its roof. This garden provides fresh ingredients for some of the resort's restaurants.

Shopping at Bellagio

Bellagio has a fancy shopping area called Via Bellagio. It features many luxury brands. These include Armani, Chanel, Gucci, Hermès, and Prada. Bellagio was one of the first places in Las Vegas to offer such high-end shopping.

Fun Attractions

The Fountains of Bellagio

The Fountains of Bellagio dancing to music

The Fountains of Bellagio are a free and amazing show. They are performed in the resort's 8.5-acre lake. Each show features water dancing to different songs. The water can shoot as high as 460 feet! These fountains are a very popular attraction. They are one of the most photographed places in the United States. Bellagio has hosted over 240,000 fountain shows since it opened.

Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Seasonal displays

Bellagio has a beautiful 13,500-square-foot conservatory and botanical gardens. It is free to visit and gets about 20,000 visitors every day. The conservatory changes its decorations five times a year. These themes include Chinese New Year, spring, summer, fall, and winter.

For example, the Chinese New Year display features flowers and the animal of the year. The summer display is very patriotic with red, white, and blue flowers. The winter display has a huge Christmas tree and many poinsettia flowers. Each display costs about $1 million to create. Over 100 workers design and set up these amazing gardens.

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art

The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is another cool spot. It opened with the resort. It used to show art from Steve Wynn's private collection. Now, it hosts different art collections. These collections are often borrowed from museums around the world.

Fiori di Como Glass Sculpture

A huge and colorful glass sculpture hangs from the ceiling in the hotel lobby. It is called Fiori di Como, which means "Flowers of Como." This amazing artwork was created by glass artist Dale Chihuly. It measures 65 feet by 29 feet and weighs over 40,000 pounds. It includes more than 2,100 pieces of colored glass.

Fiori di Como is the largest glass sculpture in the world. It helped make Chihuly very famous. The sculpture is a free attraction and very popular with guests.

Live Shows and Entertainment

Sign on the Las Vegas Strip advertising O

Since Bellagio opened, it has been home to Cirque du Soleil's water-themed show O. This show is performed in an 1,800-seat opera house. The stage is a mini-lake, making the show truly unique. O cost about $100 million to create. This made it the most expensive show in Las Vegas at the time.

Awards and Recognition

Bellagio has won many awards for its luxury and service. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. In 2001, it became the first hotel-casino to win the AAA Five Diamond Award. It has won this award 18 times in a row. This shows how excellent the resort is.

In 2005, a study found Bellagio to be the favorite resort among tourists. Its fountains were named the best "must-see" attraction. Its Picasso restaurant has also won many awards. It received the AAA Five Diamond and Mobil Five-Star awards. Bellagio was the only hotel in the U.S. to have two Five Diamond restaurants.