Conceived by Steve Wynn and designed by WET, the Fountains of Bellagio turned an 8.5-acre man-made lake into a free, choreographed water show that was the largest fountain display in the world until Dubai's -- built by the same firm -- surpassed it in 2009.
The Numbers Behind the Show
The lake holds 22 million gallons of recycled water and houses 1,214 individual water nozzles across four types: 208 "oarsmen" reaching 77 feet, 798 "mini-shooters" up to 100 feet, 192 "super-shooters" up to 240 feet, and 16 "extreme-shooters" that can fire water 460 feet in the air. The whole system is powered by 10 compressors running up to 500 psi and maintained by a 30-person scuba-certified crew. Water is choreographed to 29 different show programs -- classical, Sinatra, Elvis, Johnny Mathis, and eight holiday-themed shows -- with "Time to Say Goodbye" (Andrea Bocelli/Sarah Brightman) the most popular.
Built on the Old Dunes Site
The fountains opened October 15, 1998 alongside the Bellagio resort, on the site of the former Dunes hotel-casino, at a construction cost of $40 million. The lake sits at 4,792 lights strong, kept white rather than colored per Wynn's original preference, and by 2018 the fountains had performed more than 240,000 shows.
Practical Advice
- Arrive 10-15 minutes before a scheduled show to claim a rail spot -- prime positions fill up fast in the evening.
- For a different angle with a thinner crowd, watch from a restaurant or bar patio inside Bellagio, or from the walkway toward Paris/Bally's.
- Check the wind -- shows are called off above 25 mph, so have a backup plan on a gusty day.
Bottom line for a first-time visitor: it's free, it's a quick stop, and evening shows are worth timing your walk around.
