Bellagio, Cirque du Soleil’s ‘O’ celebrate 25-year anniversary
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The iconic Bellagio Hotel and Casino and Cirque du Soleil’s “O” celebrated their silver anniversary at the Clark County Government Center Tuesday morning.
The Bellagio opened on Oct. 15, 1998, and has been a Las Vegas staple ever since.
The Clark County Commission honored the 25-year milestone with a proclamation, speakers, and a snippet of a show for the showstopping 36-story hotel and casino.
With nearly 4,000 rooms and amenities, Bellagio and Park MGM President and Chief Operating Officer Ann Hoff said the level of luxury didn’t exist before.
“Bellagio redefined sophistication in the market of Las Vegas and paved the way for others to do the same,” Hoff said.
The Italian-inspired hotel has an impact on pop culture with several film and TV cameos and on Las Vegas culture.
“Like our fountains, the conservatory, an art program in the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Arts that rivals some museums around the world, and of course, ‘O’,” Hoff said.
“O” has sold more than 19 million tickets and its performers have dazzled audiences more than 11,000 times.
The fountain’s water is recycled from underground wells. It has put on more than 180,000 shows.
An employee who has been with the casino since it opened shared his thoughts.
Mark Sirota worked at the Mirage before transferring to the Bellagio. He said he has never missed a day of work in 34 years.
“Nothing compares to the Bellagio,” Sirota said. “I am still thrilled and blessed to be there.”
Sirota started as a butler and in food and beverage. He’s now a longstanding table games floor supervisor. The walls are rich with stories, and celebrities past and present have stayed. Sirota said his favorite celebrity encounter was meeting Robin Williams.
People travel far and wide. Hoff said the best is yet to come.
The Bellagio was built on the former site of the Dunes Hotel and Casino.
Steve Wynn and his company purchased the property. The structure was imploded to make way for the resort which cost $1.6 billion. The world’s most expensive resort at that time.
Wynn sold Bellagio in May of 2000 to MGM.
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