The property also has a high-end retail area which introduced several luxury brands to Las Vegas, including Chanel, Gucci, and Prada.

[3][4][5] As the Dunes closed in January 1993, Wynn proposed including a man-made lake in his new project for water skiing and windsurfing.

[7] The county modified the ordinance in February 1994, allowing Wynn to proceed with a man-made lake, on the condition that he honor his claim that it would use less water than the Dunes' former golf course.

[16] While on the lake with friend Paul Anka, Wynn noticed the nearby village of Bellagio,[17][11][18] and spent half a day there.

[19] The village's Italian architecture inspired Wynn to scrap 10 months' worth of design work for Beau Rivage in favor of a Bellagio-themed resort.

[20][33][34] Wynn envisioned the Bellagio as a five-star resort catering to tourists who typically visit places other than Las Vegas, such as Paris, London, or Venice.

[39] Before the opening, builders spent more than a year searching the western U.S. for mature Japanese privets, which are capable of withstanding the dry Las Vegas heat.

A deal was reached to remove approximately 30 privets from the government center in Ventura County, California, and replant them at Bellagio, at a cost of nearly $10,000 per tree.

[43] Mirage Resorts launched a $10 million advertising campaign which included 60-second television commercials, featuring opera singer Andrea Bocelli.

[59] The company changed its name to MGM Mirage later that year, and Bellagio's cash flow improved under the new ownership, prompting reconsideration of the hotel expansion plan.

[65][66] In 2012, MGM and Suning Real Estate announced plans to expand the Bellagio name with a 200-room hotel in Shanghai,[67] which eventually opened in 2018.

Through the deal, the two companies would form a joint venture that would lease Bellagio back to MGM Resorts for an annual rent of $245 million.

[79][80] A preliminary investigation by the county found that the main power line failed because of premature deterioration, the cause for which remained unknown.

[81][82][83] A partial power outage occurred on December 31, 2011, shutting down the resort's buffet and several hundred hotel rooms in the main tower's west wing.

[98] The thief, son of a Las Vegas judge, was arrested in February 2011, after arranging to sell $25,000 chips to an undercover police officer.

[106] On an early morning in March 2017, men wearing animal-themed masks broke into a jewelry store at the resort, prompting a police lockdown of the casino and parking garage.

[147][148] The 4,000 sq ft (370 m2) Chairman Suite includes an indoor garden, a home theater system, several fireplaces, a bar, and fulltime butler service.

[160] In March 2011, SBE Entertainment Group announced that it would bring its Hyde Lounge nightclub brand to the resort, taking the place of Fontana Bar.

[177][178][179] The resort also included Circo and Le Cirque,[180][181] both owned by the Maccioni family and inspired by New York restaurants of the same name.

[195][249] During Memorial Day weekend, Bellagio then switches over to its all-American summer display, featuring a large recreation of the Liberty Bell, as well as several American flags throughout the Conservatory.

[250][251] From late September until Thanksgiving weekend, the Conservatory puts on its autumn display featuring several varieties of chrysanthemum and several large pumpkins.

[252][253] After Thanksgiving, the Conservatory switches to its winter holiday display, which is dominated by a large centerpiece Christmas Tree and several varieties of poinsettia.

[267] A large art piece hangs from the ceiling of the hotel lobby, measuring approximately 2,000 sq ft (190 m2) and representing flowers of various colors.

[270] A total of two years was spent working on Fiori di Como, which turned out larger than Chihuly had anticipated: "Every time, Steve (Wynn) saw it, he wanted more".

Because the sculpture would hang in Las Vegas, Chihuly took a less-restrained approach in creating it: "I thought it would be a good opportunity to use a lot of color.

[269] Fiori di Como garnered positive feedback from guests, prompting Chihuly and the Bellagio to partner up and open a store in 2001, in the resort's Conservatory.

The store sold artwork by Chihuly, including individual flower-shaped art pieces inspired by Fiori di Como.

[293][294] A 2005 study by Majestic Research, polling more than 400 out-of-state residents, found Bellagio to be the favorite resort among tourists, with 18 percent support.

[297] Travelocity ranked it in sixth place in a 2011 list of top 10 Las Vegas hotels, based on guest reviews.

[298] The resort's Picasso restaurant has also been critically acclaimed,[299] receiving the AAA Five Diamond and Mobil Five-Star awards by the end of 2001.