Bellagio and Its Fountains (1998)

1998

Opened
October 15, 1998
Builder
Steve Wynn's Mirage Resorts
Cost
$1.6 billion, a record for the Strip at the time
Site
The former Dunes, imploded in 1993
Fountain designer
WET Design of Los Angeles; work began in 1995
Lake
8.5 acres holding about 22 million gallons, per Bellagio engineers
Height
Water up to 460 feet; the display spans more than 1,000 feet
Show times
Every 30 minutes in the afternoon, every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight
Admission
Free
Where to see it today
Bellagio, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

About

After the Mirage and Treasure Island, Steve Wynn set out to build an even more expensive resort. He bought the old Dunes, imploded it in 1993 in a televised show staged with a cannon volley from Treasure Island, and built Bellagio on the site, named after a village on Italy's Lake Como. It opened on October 15, 1998, at a cost of $1.6 billion, then the most expensive hotel ever built, according to the Review-Journal and the Online Nevada Encyclopedia.

The centrepiece was the lake out front and its fountains, designed and built by WET Design. Wynn told WET's Mark Fuller he wanted visitors to be "swept away" and the water to move to music as no fountain had before. WET began work in 1995; its largest previous project was one-fifth the size. The show combines oarsmen that swing jets of water, shooters that fire water hundreds of feet into the air, fog and lights, all choreographed to music. After opening, Las Vegas Boulevard was repeatedly shut down because crowds overflowed into the street.

Bellagio also raised the Strip's ambitions beyond gambling. It opened with a gallery of fine art from Wynn's collection, a conservatory and botanical garden, restaurants run by celebrity chefs, and Cirque du Soleil's aquatic show "O." The Online Nevada Encyclopedia says that, like the Mirage, it raised the standard for every Strip resort that followed. Wynn sold Mirage Resorts, Bellagio included, to Kirk Kerkorian's company in 2000.

The fountains have outlasted almost every other Strip attraction of the 1990s. A crew of about 30 engineers, all certified divers, maintains them, and shows are reduced or cancelled on windy days. WET Design later built a fountain 50 percent larger in Dubai, but the Fountains of Bellagio remain one of the most photographed sights in Las Vegas, and they are still free to watch from the Strip sidewalk.

What to expect

Bellagio lists fountain shows every 30 minutes from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays (from noon on weekends and holidays), and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight daily. The shows are free and outdoors, the schedule may vary, and shows can be cancelled for weather. The best free view is from the sidewalk along Las Vegas Boulevard; Bellagio also sells fountain-view rooms and has restaurants overlooking the lake.

More from the 1990s

Good to know

  • Technical figures vary by source and over time. Bellagio itself says "more than a thousand fountains" and water up to 460 feet; an older Review-Journal article counted 208 oarsmen, 798 minishooters, 192 supershooters and 16 extreme shooters.
  • Reported costs for the fountains ranged from $40 million to $75 million; WET Design does not discuss the price, according to the Review-Journal.
  • Wind is the main reason shows are cut back or cancelled, both to save water and to keep spray off Las Vegas Boulevard.
  • The lake bottom is vacuumed regularly, turning up coins and even wedding rings, according to the Review-Journal; Bellagio engineers told the Association of Energy Engineers that recovered coins are donated to charity.
  • Opening-night fireworks in 1998 were cancelled because of high winds.

Questions about Bellagio and Its Fountains (1998)

When did Bellagio open?

Bellagio opened on October 15, 1998, on the site of the old Dunes hotel. Steve Wynn's company built it for $1.6 billion, then a Strip record. Its signature lake and dancing fountains, designed by WET Design, debuted with the resort.

How often do the Bellagio fountains run?

Bellagio lists shows every 30 minutes from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, starting at noon on weekends and holidays, then every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight. The schedule can change and shows may be cancelled in bad weather, especially wind, so check Bellagio's site on the day.

Is it free to watch the Bellagio fountains?

Yes. Bellagio says the fountains are free for any visitor to enjoy. Most people watch from the sidewalk along Las Vegas Boulevard in front of the lake. Some Bellagio rooms and restaurants overlook the fountains if you want a seated view.

How high do the Bellagio fountains go?

Bellagio says the water soars as high as 460 feet and the display spans more than 1,000 feet. The tallest jets come from a small number of extreme shooters, while other devices fire water to lower heights or swing it in arcs.

Who designed the Bellagio fountains?

WET Design, a Los Angeles company, designed and built them. The Review-Journal reports that work began in 1995 and that the project was far larger than anything WET had built before; its biggest previous fountain was one-fifth the size. Steve Wynn asked for a fountain that moved to music as no fountain had.