The History of the Bellagio Hotel

Las Vegas is known for the mega-resort hotels which line Las Vegas Blvd, making it into an man-made canyon. These hotels are virtual cities, making sure everything you may need for your vacation is right on their property so you never have to leave. One the most famous of these resorts is The Bellagio Resort and Casino. Its name is synonymous with elegance and hospitality.

Pre-Groundbreaking

The Bellagio hotel sits on the site of the original Dunes Hotel. The Dunes Hotel opened in 1955 and remained open until 1993. In November 1992, it was purchased by Steve Wynn's company, Mirage Resorts, Inc for $75 million to make room for the company's new project, which would eventually become the Bellagio, a resort inspired by the Lake Como resort of the same name in Italy.

Construction and Opening

The Bellagio construction began in 1994 and would continue for the next four years. At a cost of $1.6 billion, it was one of the most expensive resort hotels ever built at the time of its construction. It finally opened just before 11:00 p.m. on October 15, 1998 at a cost of $88 million. VIP's invited to the opening of the resort were required to donate to The Foundation Fighting Blindness which allowed them a "free" night in one of the new hotel's suites.

Cirque De Soleil

At its opening, The Bellagio also had a permanent Cirque de Soleil show, O. O is a the first and only Cirque de Soleil show which is done on and in water. The theater which houses O was specially built for the show in the Bellagio and was included in its initial construction. The show currently has an open ended run at the Bellagio.

Purchase

In 2000, Mirage Resorts (Which owned the Bellagio, Mirage and Treasure Island Hotels) merged with MGM Grand Inc to become MGM Mirage, which was, at the time, the largest resort company in the world. When that merger occurred, the Bellagio became one of 10 hotels owned on by the same company on the Las Vegas Strip. Due to the takeover of Mirage Resorts by MGM Grand Inc, Steve Wynn, founder of the Bellagio, was ousted from the company.

Present Day

Since the takeover, the Bellagio has continued to set the bar for elegance and hospitality. In 2003, it became the first Las Vegas resort to win AAA prestigious Five Diamond Award. The hotel has consistently won the award for the last 6 years and still holds the distinction. It has also been the setting for numerous movies, such as "Lucky You," "21," and most prominently, 2005's "Ocean Eleven." The Bellagio continues to amaze and capture the attention of travelers around the world

Resources

• Bellagio Resort Website