ALL ATTRACTIONS

SPOTLIGHT: The Fountains of Bellagio

The “Big Shot” of the Strip
By Bobbie Katz

Those who originally thought that the notion of Las Vegas as a city filled with major attractions didn’t hold water have certainly found out that they were all wet. Especially if they’ve been standing near The Fountains of Bellagio, which shoot as high as 400 feet into the air, choreographed to music ranging from the classic arias of Luciano Pavarotti to show tunes to the romantic stylings of Frank Sinatra.

More than a thousand fountains dance in front of the hotel, enhanced by the music and lights, in a display that spans more than 1,000 feet. In fact, at just barely under 20 million gallons and approximately 8.5 acres, Lake Bellagio is the largest musical fountain system in the world, not to mention one of the most well choreographed fountains in existence.

To offer some idea of its vast size, the lake is approximately 1,025 feet on its longest edge – that’s 26 school buses parked end to end. At its widest point, the lake is approximately 520 feet. Sixteen half-acre homes, with an access road and a small park, could fit into that width.

“Lake Bellagio has four different types of water-emitting devices – an Oarsman, a Mini-shooter, a Super-shooter, and an Xtreme shooter.” explains a spokesperson for the Fountains of Bellagio. “Each device is controlled individually or as a group by computer. Oarsman spray water is in a movable stream, 77 feet high. There are a total of 208 Oarsman, each individually programmable. They are underwater robots and are the only devices that can be programmed to change the direction of the water – what makes it “dance,” if you will.”

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Mini-shooters and Super-shooters shoot the water straight up – the Minis reach 100 feet and the Supers up to 245 feet – via air compressors. There are 798 Mini shooters, 192 Super-shooters and 16 Xtrme shooters for a total of 1,214 water-emitting devices. There are 29 different programmed shows, 21 regularly scheduled ones and 8 holiday ones. Regular shows are randomly selected from the 21 for the displays that go off about 28 times a day.

When the Oarsmen spray for just 2.5 seconds at 100 percent, and all of the shooters fire during that period, there is a total of 21,000 gallons of water in the air (and that doesn’t include the Xtreme shooters). An average in-ground swimming pool could be filled in only 2.5 seconds. For anyone who thinks that’s a lot of water, during the hottest part of the summer, the lake loses approximately 100,000 gallons per day due to evaporation – that’s five in-ground pools evaporating every day for three months!

The Fountains at Bellagio also have state-of-the-art fog, lighting and audio systems that contain fascinating facts within themselves. It takes 37 people to support the show and most are diver-certified. Twice a year, the Bellagio’s production “O” dumps its water into the lake. The water in the lake comes from underground wells and has a filtration system. It has been said that the Fountains use less water than a golf course.

Not to mention that their shots are guaranteed not to leave anyone “teed off.”

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ATTRACTIONS

Bally's Jubilee! All Access Backstage Walking Tour

Bellagio Fountains Gallery of Fine Art Conservatory The Tuscany Kitchen

Caesars Palace Exotic Cars Fountain shows and aquarium

Circus Circus Adventuredome Canyon Blaster Chaos Inverter Motion Rides Rim Runner Sling Shot World's Largest Permanent Circus

Flamingo Wildlife Habitat

Imperial Palace The Auto Collections

Las Vegas Hilton BORG Invasion 4D Klingon Encounter Star Trek: The Experience Star Trek: The Experience -- Secrets Unveiled

Luxor IMAX Theatre In Search of the Obelisk King Tut's Tomb Motion Rides

Mandalay Bay Shark Reef

MGM Grand CBS Television City Research Center Lion Habitat

Mirage Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat Tiger Habitat Volcano

New York - New York The Roller Coaster at New York-New York

Paris Eiffel Tower

Rio Masquerade Village

Sahara Las Vegas Cyber Speedway Speed - The Ride

Showcase Mall GameWorks M&M's World

Silverton The Aquarium

Stratosphere Big Shot Insanity-The Ride Stratosphere Tower X Scream

Treasure Island Sirens of TI

Tropicana Bodies...The Exhibition Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit

Venetian Gondola Guggenheim Hermitage Museum Las Vegas Preview Studios Madame Tussauds Las Vegas Streetmosphere at the Grand Canal Shoppes

Wynn Las Vegas Penske Wynn Ferrari Maserati

Also on the Strip FastKart Speedway Flyaway Indoor Skydiving

Attractions Off the VEGAS Strip Atomic Testing Museum Ethel M Chocolate Factory Fremont Street Experience Las Vegas Art Museum Las Vegas Mini Gran Prix Las Vegas Natural History Museum Liberace Museum Lied Children's Museum Marjorie Barrick Museum Mario Andretti race car rides / drives Mt. Charleston Lodge, Hotel & ski resort Neon Museum Neonopolis Nevada State Museum Old Mormon Fort Planetarium and Observatory Richard Petty Driving Experience Springs Preserve Sunset Stampede The American Racing Academy Zoological - Botanical Park

Attractions Outside VEGAS Adventure Canyon ride Bonnie & Clyde Getaway Car Bonnie Springs / Old Nevada Chloride Mining Town Clark County Museum Desperado roller coaster Extraterrestrial Highway (near Area 51) Frog Hopper Gondolas at Lake Las Vegas Hoover Dam MaxFlight 2002 Virtual Roller Coaster Pioche Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings The Vault Turbo Drop

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HOOVER DAM

35 miles from Las Vegas
Boulder City, NV
(702) 494-2517
(866) 730-9097

Hours of operation: Visitors center open daily, 9 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. except Thanksgiving and Christmas. No visitors are allowed on top of the dam after dark.

Because of heightened security, all vehicles attempting to cross the dam are subject to inspection.

For security and road conditions at Hoover Dam, Call (888) 248-1259.

Cost: $11 for adults ages 17-61; $9 for adults 62 and older and military; $6 for kids ages 7-16; kids 6 and younger are free. Fee includes access to the visitors center, intake tower and observation deck. Because of heightened security, visitors are no longer allowed inside the dam itself. Parking is $7 at the garage across from the visitors center.

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